Portlaoise Court: Former talented sportsperson who set fire to flat jailed
Portlaoise Courthouse
A MAN who attempted to burn down a flat in Portlaoise that had been supplied to him by the Simon Community and who was caught in possession of a kitchen knife on the same day was before last week’s sitting of the local district court.
Jack Rouget (23) from Apartment 3 Block 2 Fieldbrook, Dublin Road, Portlaoise was charged with criminal damage at his address and to the possession of a knife on the grounds of Saint Fintan’s Hospital, Dublin Road, Portlaoise on 13 May.
Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby told the court when the defendant was arrested on the grounds of Saint Fintan’s Hospital at the Irish Wheelchair Association offices, where his mother works, he told gardaí that he had set fire to his flat. Gardaí went to the scene and saw smoke coming from under its door. He was also searched, and a short kitchen knife was found in the waistband of his trousers.
The court heard that, since the fire, the Simon Community had to shutter and close the house and that three adjoining houses had suffered smoke damage.
Defence solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said that her client had attended three different secondary schools. He thought that he may be autistic and referred himself for an assessment, which showed that he was indeed autistic. He was in care for a period, which was hard for him being separated from his family.
Ms Fitzpatrick said that due his life circumstances he began relying on drugs and amassed seven previous convictions, all drug related except for one public order offence.
Ms Fitzpatrick said: “He’s been in custody since 14 May by consent and hasn’t applied for bail. When he was engaged with the Probation Services in 2022, he provided full cooperation. He had been in Cloverhill (prison) but there had been an issue, and he is now in Wheatfield.
“He was in a very poor place at the time of the offences, and he appreciates how difficult it has been for his mother. He is also not in a position to pay compensation for the damage he caused.”
Ms Fitzpatrick said that Mr Rouget had been a talented sportsperson when he was younger and had performed at Leinster level.
Judge Patricia Cronin said that she would take into consideration the early plea to the charges and noted his previous convictions were drug related. She said that she also had to take into consideration the €6,500 worth of damage that was caused to the apartment.
She said: “The Midland Simon Community provide accommodation to people who find themselves in difficult situations. They had no chance of doing that with the apartment because they had to board it up and not able to provide it to another family in difficulty and to people on the house waiting list.”
Judge Cronin noted that the defendant “has had difficult stages throughout his life and his difficulties seems to be around substance abuse since the age of 14.”
She went on to sentence the defendant to six months in prison and backdated that sentence to 14 May and took the matter of possessing a knife into consideration.
