Cork man who confessed to arson charge was ‘off his medication’

A 26-year-old man who confessed to the arson of a house in Knocknaheeny causing damage costing more than €28,000 had sentencing in his case adjourned until November 12 at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Evidence was given at Cork District Court previously that Shane Hendricks was at the address at Kilmore Heights, Knocknaheeny, Cork, where the arson occurred on March 25 last year.

Garda Cillian O’Connell said, “Gardaí attended a report of a house fire at Kilmore Heights. On arrival, gardaí were met by Cork city firefighters, who informed gardaí there had been a fire set in the rear bedroom.

“A petrol can had been recovered from the bedroom and there was extensive damage to the bedroom. 

Gardaí were also made aware that there were two occupants in the house when the fire was set but were out of it when the gardaí arrived.

“While gardaí were in attendance, Shane Hendricks of Kilmore Heights approached them and said to Garda David O’Donoghue, ‘I did it, I set fire to the room’.

“On being searched at the scene, he was found to have a burnt lighter in his pocket. He said in interview that he had consumed a number of cans of alcohol prior to setting the fire while at home and [was] off his medication which [were] prescribed.”

Now at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Shane Hendricks was remanded in custody for sentencing in November. In the meantime, a doctor’s report was sought by defence barrister Emmet Boyle in light of “unfortunate mental health and psychiatric history”.