A 24-year-old man been charged with an alleged arson attack on a hairdressing salon in Cork that caused almost €140,000 worth of damage and left 13 people out of work.
Kalim Nolan, with an address at Mourne Avenue, The Glen in Cork was charged with criminal damage and burglary at Three Degrees Hair Salon, Redforge Road in Blackpool on September 18th.
At Cork District Court, Det Garda Caitriona Molloy gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.She said Mr Nolan made no reply to the charges when they were put to him after caution.
Gardaí objected to bail. Det Garda Molloy said that gardaí were concerned that Mr Nolan would not stand trial or would commit further offences if granted bail.
She said she was basing her objections on the strength of the evidence against him and the fact he could face up to 10 years in jail on the arson and 14 years in jail on the burglary if convicted of either on indictment.
Det Garda Molloy said gardaí had strong CCTV evidence from the Three Degrees Hair Salon and the Top Oil garage on the nearby Ballyhooley Road.
She said the State would allege that a suspect was seen on the footage pulling up in a car with outside the hair salon at 2.40am on September 18th and the car registration was readable.
She said the CCTV captured the suspect entering the hair salon and pouring petrol from a can on the floor before setting it alight.The suspect was then seen exiting the building and driving away.
She said that the State would allege that Mr Nolan was identifiable on CCTV footage from Top Oil on Ballyhooley Road some six minutes earlier where he bought petrol using the same jerry can.
She said it would be alleged that he was wearing the same clothes on the CCTV footage at Top Oil as was worn by the man who carried out the arson attack on the alon.
She said Mr Nolan was allegedly tracked by CCTV cameras at various junctures between the Top Oil garage and the time that the suspect entered the hair salon six minutes later.
Defence solicitor Frank Buttimer said his client would deny the charges and he had already denied to gardaí at interview that he was person on the CCTV footage.
Det Garda Molloy said she was certain that Mr Nolan was the person seen on CCTV footage.“His face is covered up but he is wearing the same clothing and he also appears to be carrying the exact same jerry can at Top Oil that is used to pour petrol the length of the hair salon before setting it on fire,” she said.
Judge Olann Kelleher said he was concerned that Mr Nolan might commit further offences if granted bail.
Bail was refused and Mr Nolan was remanded in custody to appear again in court on October 13th.
