St Johnston man enters plea on attempting to set Masonic Hall on fire - Donegal News

A ST JOHNSTON man accused of attempting to cause criminal damage to three local buildings including the Masonic Hall and St Blathin’s Church, appeared in court last week.

Ryan McCrabbe (28) of St Johnston was before Letterkenny Circuit Court on Tuesday.

He faces a series of charges for alleged arson attacks in St Johnston on August 29, 2024. He is accused of attempting to cause criminal damage to three separate public buildings – Masonic Hall, Orange Hall and St Baithins Church in St Johnston on the same day.

On one of the charges, the court heard that on August 29, 2024 McCrabbe had tried to burn the Masonic Hall on Church Lane in St Johnston and has entered a guilty plea to the charge.

Counsel for the defendant, Ms Patricia McLaughlin, said that his client had no previous convictions and was undergoing dialysis three times a week for seven years at the time of the alleged offences.

The court heard that the defendants nursing team had noticed a marked change in McCrabbe’s behaviour in the weeks before the arson attacks, and that he had been admitted to a psychiatric unit briefly.

McCrabbe was psychiatrically assessed before the alleged offences happened, the court heard.

Ms McLaughlin requested further medical and psychiatric assessments for her client.

Judge Aylmer agreed that medical and psychiatric reports on the accused were required and the court heard that the probation services must examine his suitability for community service.

The case was adjourned until the October term of the Circuit Court.

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