McGinley and publican John Larkin had a disagreement in January 2017
A drunken shop manager in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal set his boss' next-door pub on fire, after he had a disagreement with the owner the Letterkenny Circuit Court has heard.
Shane McGinley of Crievesmith, set fire to the Snug 69 pub after getting into the premises through a side window on January 2 last year.
Garda Michelle Kelly told Letterkenny Circuit Court in Donegal she went to investigate the blaze at Oldtown, Letterkenny, and found the premises filled with smoke “and a lot of damage done.”
While a cash register had also been removed along with optics and bottles.
McGinley, 35, was plainly seen on the CCTV footage.
Following the incident at the pub, he had sought a place in the White Oaks rehabilitation centre.
Judge John Aylmer sentenced the defendant to three and a half years imprisonment, suspended for a period of two years on condition of good behaviour and that he remain under the supervision of the Probation Services.
Judge Aylmer said arson was “always a very serious offense” but said the defendant clearly had a very troubled background, along with struggles with depression and mental illness.
This being the case, the Judge decided to give him the fullest possible credit for the mitigating features involved and described it as an unusual case.
Following the incident at the pub, Mr. McGinley had sought a place in the White Oaks rehabilitation centre.
