Trial for man accused of causing over €100k damage in Cork Airport business park fire

The DPP has directed trial by indictment in a case where over €100,000 worth of arson damage was caused to three vehicles parked at Cork Airport Business Park in June.

Sergeant John Kelleher said today that those directions had come through from the Director of Public Prosecutions, who also consented to a signed plea being entered.

33-year-old Mateusz Stula of Orchard Court, Blackpool, Cork, is accused of carrying out the arson attacks after 1am on Tuesday, June 10.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said at an earlier hearing that the case related to three arsons where the total estimated damage amounted to €100,000.

Defence solicitor Eddie Burke said at Cork District Court that the accused – who appeared by video link from prison – consented to an adjournment to October 14 at Cork District Court.

Mr Burke asked, in the context of whether or not a signed plea would be entered, for a copy of the garda memo of interview to be sent to the defence.

Detective Sergeant Davis said, “The charges before the court are very serious. Mateusz Stula is charged with three counts of arson. It is alleged that on June 10 at approximately 1.15am he entered the grounds of Cork Airport Business Park where he set fire to three vehicles parked there.

“One of these vehicles was a Swissport Airline waste removal tanker which has an approximate value of €100,000.

“A second vehicle was privately owned and had been parked at the business park while the owner was abroad.

“A third vehicle was a privately owned animal transporter truck which had been dropped to the business park for repairs.

“The incidents of arson in this instance have been captured on CCTV footage."

Eddie Burke, solicitor, said the accused had been in employment for the two months before the incident at a premises in the business park and that the incident before the court was not a matter of him going to the airport in order to carry out this damage. 

“For whatever reason he left his place of work and went to where these vehicles were,” Mr Burke said.