Murdered man’s sons jailed for arson attack on Cork home

Two brothers whose father was murdered in Cork 30 years ago when they were children were both jailed for seven years for carrying out an arson attack on a house, where they fled the scene after throwing in a petrol bomb, with the parting words, “bye bye”.

Judge Helen Boyle imposed sentences of eight years, with the last year suspended, in the cases against Robert Crinnion, aged 39, of Blackwater Grove, Togher, Cork, and Michael Crinnion, aged 33, of the same address, at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

They pleaded guilty to a charge that on August 4, 2023, at a house on Dean St, Cork, they committed arson by causing fire damage to the hallway, sitting-room door, bathroom door, stairs, bannister, a dressing gown, and bath mat, intending or being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged.

They both wrote letters to the court where they expressed their apologies and remorse to the owner of the house. Fortunately, she and her children were not present when the arson was carried out.

Detective Sergeant Cormac Crotty said that the householder was extremely concerned, when she was first alerted to the arson, that her brother might have been in the house at the relevant time. However, it turned out that nobody was present.

A doorbell video that was activated at the time recorded the words “bye bye” as the two brothers fled the scene.

Tom Creed, senior counsel, said that Robert Crinnion was 11 years of age when his father, Michael Crinnion, was shot dead outside a pub on Barrack St in April 1995.

Mr Creed said Robert Crinnion went on to suffer from a lifelong drug addiction.

Elizabeth O’Connell, senior counsel for Michael Crinnion, said the defendant was on drugs and was homeless at the time of the arson.

She said he was very sorry for what he did and had commented in a letter that his actions were despicable and they made him sick to the stomach.

Judge Helen Boyle noted from the evidence of Det Sgt Crotty that Robert broke a window with a hatchet, that Michael immediately threw a petrol bomb into the property, and that Michael shouted “bye bye” as they fled.

She said it was fortunate that the glass bottle of petrol did not break and explode and that the fire damage was confined to approximately €1,000 worth of property. Judge Boyle said it was even more fortunate that nobody was present at the time of the arson attack.

While describing it as a serious crime, the judge said there was no doubt that the murder of their father when they were children had a significant impact on their lives and that, in effect, they had lifelong drug addictions.

The two brothers were to go on trial by judge and jury in February, but pleaded guilty to arson as it was about to commence.