A convicted murderer who burned down a house just days after being released from a life sentence has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Stephen Rock (51), of Priorswood House in Coolock, was found guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of damaging a house at Colepark Drive in Ballyfermot, on July 12th 2014 and intending to endanger the life of another. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Det Insp Colm O’Malley told Monika Leech BL, prosecuting, that Rock was seen “in the vicinity” of the home on the night in question. The court heard an item which looked like a “shoe box” was seen by a witness burning in the window of the house on the night of the fire.
Counsel told the court that Leanne Nolan managed to rescue her mother Maureen Nolan and her younger brother from the house . One of the family pets was killed in the blaze.
The court heard Maureen Nolan had been “assaulted” by Rock when he came to the house earlier that day and herself and her daughter Leanne asked him to leave. “When Mr Rock was asked to leave he said they would be sorry when he came back,” counsel said. Rock denied starting the fire when interviewed.
‘Flashbacks’
Ms Leech said Leanne Nolan experienced “flashbacks” after the fire, her confidence suffered when applying for new jobs and she was afraid “something would happen to her mother when she was not there.”
Rock was previously convicted for murder and jailed for life in 1989. The court heard he was serving his time in Shelton Abbey Prison in Arklow when he escaped in 1999.
“He had served 10 years in prison before he absconded and he subsequently returned to this jurisdiction following an arrest warrant,” said Det Insp O’Malley.
The court heard Rock continued to serve his sentence from 2005 to 2014 before he was admitted to full temporary release on July 8th, 2014.
Paul Greene SC, defending, told the court his client’s “only visitor over the years” had been his mother who died four years ago.
Mr Greene asked the court to take into account his isolated situation and his regret and concern for the Nolan family.
Judge Patrick McCartan said that what Rock did “was very serious and very dangerous particularly for a man with his record and who had been on temporary release and given full release from his sentence only four days before” said the judge.