A Dublin man with convictions for armed robbery who attempted to burn down a pub four months after he was barred from the premises has been given a 15-year suspended sentence in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Judge Kieran O'Connor warned Thomas Freeman he would not get a second chance and that he was serious about him having to serve the 15 years and any other sentence he received if he reoffended. He would end up in jail for the rest of his life.
"I am telling you, Thomas Freeman, I am serious about this. You might think I am being dramatic by saying 15 years but I'm deadly serious," he added.
The judge said Freeman's convictions showed he had been a serious criminal involved in the "heavy stuff". He did not appear to have learned from a seven-year term he served for armed robbery.
Freeman told the judge he had tried to apologise to the owner of the bar but he couldn't as he was barred from the premises. He was also ordered to carry out 240 hours' community service. The case is to be reviewed next December and defence counsel Mr Paul Greene said his client wished the judge to deal with a Tipperary case at the next hearing.
Freeman (43), of Deansrath Grove, Clondalkin, received three five-year suspended sentences to run consecutively on charges of threatening to burn the Swallow Pub in Clondalkin on April 20th, 1996, and attempted arson and criminal damage of the pub on August 20th, 1996.
Sgt John Coyle told the court Freeman made a threat to burn the pub when he was barred in April. Nothing more was thought about this until August 20th when a security guard alerted a passing patrol car in the early hours that two men were on the roof. Freeman and another man were arrested and it was discovered they had made a hole in the roof. Later in the day a container of petrol was found on a window sill. Freeman refused to make a statement to gardai.
Sgt Coyle said Freeman had been due for trial in February but absconded while walking from one courtroom to another. Freeman had 18 previous convictions, including two seven-year sentences imposed in 1979 and 1980 for armed robbery. He had also received a four-year term for robbery in 1983 and three years in 1976.
In reply to the judge, the sergeant said Freeman had not been involved in any illegal organisation. "He would have been known to be involved with crime with others over a long period," said the witness.
Garda protection had been provided for witnesses in the case and gardai had strenuously objected to bail. A tape recording of a conversation between another man and a witness was found in Freeman's house. Det Insp John McDermott said Freeman's wife contacted him recently to say her husband wished to give himself up and he met gardai by arrangement on May 27th last. The inspector said he couldn't be sure Freeman's criminal involvement was in the past. The seriousness of his previous offences could not be minimised, but he agreed Freeman had surrendered himself.