A WOMAN charged with burning down her council house almost doubled its contents-only insurance a few months before the blaze and rang the insurance company the morning after the fire to make a claim, a trial has heard.
Veronica MacAnespie (45), Tulach Ard, Rahoon, Galway, denies setting fire to the semi-detached house, owned by Galway City Council at that address on November 28th, 2007.
Insurance claims handler for Aviva Brendan Keane told her trial at Galway Circuit Criminal Court yesterday that Ms MacAnespie had insured the contents of the house for €45,000 some years ago and on June 21st, 2007, increased the contents cover to €70,000.
Geraldine Ryan from Aviva’s claims department told the jury that Ms MacAnespie rang her at 10am on November 29th, 2007, saying she wanted to make a claim on her policy. A recording of the conversation was played to the jury in which Ms MacAnespie repeatedly asked for someone from the insurance company to go to the house with her that morning to assess the damage.
She denied setting fire to the house and claimed someone had broken into her house, burgled and vandalised it, and set it on fire.
She claimed she was on the way to the station at 5am on the morning of the fire to catch a train to Waterford to see her son.
Gardaí arrested Ms MacAnespie not far from the house that morning. She was walking in the pouring rain with the aid of a crutch, dragging a number of large suitcases and plastic bags after her, the court was told. Her face, hands and hair were blackened by smoke and soot. There was a strong smell of petrol from her and Garda Darragh Ainsworth said he arrested her on suspicion of starting the fire.
Ms MacAnespie told Aviva that Anthony McDonagh, who lived next-door, set fire to her house. McDonagh, who is serving a 12-year sentence for shooting part of a man’s hand off, denies having anything to do with the fire.
Kieran O’Loughlin SC, defending, said no traces of accelerants such as petrol were found on Ms MacAnespie’s clothes when they were forensically examined.
The trial continues on Monday.