Over an 11-month period a Lucan man committed two arson attacks on houses, dressed in drag to dance to Abba's Dancing Queen at a party, assaulted his brother with a stun gun, fought with the party hosts, and stabbed a man who tried to stop him stalking his girlfriend, a court heard yesterday. He was sentenced to jail for five years.
When gardai searched the house of John Connor (24) at Cannonbrook Court, Lucan, they found five cannabis pipes, a hunting knife, a bayonet and a sword, Garda John Harte told Mr Des Zaidan, prosecuting.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard the first arson attack on August 12th, 1996, was motivated by Connor's incorrect belief that one of the occupants of the house had spread rumours of a sexual nature about him when they were children.
The victim's house was completely destroyed, causing £80,000 worth of damage and more than £70,000 worth of damage to a neighbour's house when fire spread to its roof.
In March 1997, Connor used a 6 in-bladed "Rambo" knife to stab a man who had objected to him stalking his girlfriend. Five months later, he allowed women at a party to dress him in drag to dance to Abba's classic Dancing Queen. Everything was good-natured until other men refused to follow his example and don drag.
Connor became annoyed and after a row stormed upstairs. A short time later his brother found him having a conversation with a budgie and a cockatoo. Connor suddenly turned on his brother and zapped him with a stun gun.
A fight then developed with his hosts who were trying to get him to leave. The fracas spilled out into the street with Connor on one side with his stun gun and his hosts on the other armed with golf clubs and a camogie stick.
The defendant was hit on the head and went home. He broke the stun gun on the way and back at his home he armed himself with a knife, fearing he was being followed. A short time later he returned to his hosts' house and used petrol to set small fires at the front and rear doors.
Judge Joseph Mathews said it was clear there was a psychological overlay to the case. The bizarre intensity of Connor's 11-month criminal career was evidence of the "complete disintegration of a human being".
He noted Connor was being held in the Central Mental Hospital, having been diagnosed to be suffering from paranoia, pathological jealousy, delusions, and a pathological intoxication to alcohol.
Judge Mathews imposed a five-year jail term but said he would review it in October 1999 to gauge Connor's progress in treatment.