An alcoholic Co Monaghan woman who tried to set fire to the premises and car of a restaurant owner she alleged had sexually abused her has been jailed for four years by Judge Frank O'Donnell.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard she also alleged that the intended victim, Mr Morris Wong, owed her wages.
Frances Flannagan (23), single, Lurganmore, Castleblayney, pleaded guilty to having petrol with intent to damage property on December 14th and 18th, 1997. Flannagan also had an address at Hardwicke Place, Dublin at the time.
Garda Con Dennehy told Mr Brendan Mulhall, prosecuting, that Flannagan entered Uncle B's Chinese restaurant on Lower Dorset Street, Dublin 1, at 11.30 p.m armed with a beer bottle filled with petrol. She then lit a tissue which was stuck to the top of the bottle.
Mr Wong rushed over, blew the flame out and managed to wrestle the bottle from her. She was arrested just one street away from the restaurant.
Garda Dennehy said Flannagan returned to the restaurant four days later and poured paint and petrol on Mr Wong's car and tried to set it alight. Again, she didn't succeed and was arrested outside the premises.
She told gardai in a statement she had tried to burn Mr Wong's car because he sexually abused her while she worked for him. Garda Dennehy said Flannagan has no previous convictions and has moved back to Co Monaghan to seek work.
Garda Dennehy agreed with Mr Paul McDermott SC, defending, that Flannagan was very stressed during the encounters with Mr Wong. She had spent time at a psychiatric hospital. He further agreed that she needed help.
Mr McDermott asked Judge O'Donnell to take into account Flannagan's psychiatric problem and an extensive background of treatment of an acute kind.
Judge O'Donnell said the charges were serious and it was clear Flannagan had to come to terms with her alcohol addiction for her own good and the good of society. The sentence is from February 2nd with a review in two years.