Man who set fire to vehicles at Cork Airport Business Park has sentencing adjourned

A man who set fire to three vehicles neighbouring Cork Airport a month after being released from prison for another arson was found hiding in the luggage hold under a bus when gardaí and the fire service arrived at the scene.

Detective Sergeant Pat Lyons testified at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that the 33-year-old was “found concealed in the luggage area of the bus parked nearby”. 

Mateusz Stula admitted causing more than €118,000 worth of arson damage to three vehicles parked at Cork Airport Business Park in the early hours of June 10, 2025.

Mateusz Stula, of Orchard Court, Blackpool, Cork, previously signed pleas of guilty to the indictable crimes.

Det Sgt Lyons said on June 10, 2025, at about 1.15am, the defendant entered the grounds of Cork Airport Business Park, where he set fire to three vehicles parked there. He had been working at a hotel in the area.

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

“A Volkswagen Camper 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,” 

In each case, Stula sat into the driver's seat of the vehicle and set fire to the seating area until flames engulfed the vehicles.

When he was found hiding in the bus, he had a cigarette lighter in his pocket.

He told gardaí at interview when he was working that evening in the hotel kitchen, he began drinking vodka. He could offer no explanation for his actions.

He had been released from prison a month earlier, having served a three-month sentence for setting fire to an apartment that was in the process of being built. He caused €20,000 worth of damage that time.

Defence barrister Brian Leahy asked for sentencing to be adjourned until April 27 to allow time for a psychiatric report on Mr Stula.

Judge Sinéad Behan said such a report would be helpful in advance of sentencing: “This is an odd offence. I would prefer to know what is going on with him.”