A teenager who deliberately burned out a £37,000 youth club minibus was today (Tuesday) jailed for six months.
Tiarnan Tully, 19 and of Alexandra Avenue in North Belfast, was told he will spend a further 18 months on supervised licence on his release from custody.
Tully had previously pleaded guilty to a single count of arson by damaging a wall at Holy Family Primary School and a Fiat minibus belonging to Holy Family Youth Centre off the Limestone Road in North Belfast on October 17, 2021.
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Prosecution barrister Jim Johnston told Belfast Crown Court that two weeks prior to the attack, Tully had been barred from the club over a “disagreement” with another club member. He came back to the club days later but was refused entry.
The club closed at 8pm on October 17, 2021, and at 9.30 pm, Tully was captured on CCTV entering the grounds of the club before the minibus was destroyed by fire but no accelerant was found at the scene. The total damage to the minibus and a primary school wall was put at just over £38,000.
Asked by Judge Philip Gilpin if Tully had been motivated by revenge, Mr Johnston said: “It is revenge with a very small ‘r’. It is not a classic revenge situation. It is more a matter of frustration.
“Those involved in the club have emphasised their disappointment at Mr Tully being involved in this incident. He was one of their own and one they looked out for.”
A defence barrister said the attack happened two weeks after Tully’s 18th birthday and was borne out of “frustration”.
“His expulsion from the club came after an altercation with another member who was teasing him. It was very immature behaviour.
“It appears to have been totally unplanned. Mr Tully leaves the home that evening following an argument with his father over vaping in the household. In terms of planning, it was totally off-the-cuff.
“It was serious and significant damage was caused. It was foreseeable that no one else was on the site as the club had closed an hour and a half earlier.”
The court heard the minibus was bought with 50 per cent of the funds raised in the community with The Variety Club making up the remainder. The Probation Board assessed Tully as a high likelihood of reoffending but said he did not pose a danger to the public.
Passing sentence, Judge Gilpin said he did not regard the arson attack as “one of revenge but was more out of frustration. It was not a well planned or thought out attack and no accelerant was found to have been used”.
He told Tully: “You caused significant damage and costs to the injured parties. I have no doubt the minibus was a valuable community asset with the community putting significant resources into its purchase.
“Although the minibus had been covered with motor insurance, there is still an element of loss the insurers had to bear.”
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