Two Derry men remanded for attempted arson of cars and houses

Derry Magistrate's Court heard today how two men are alleged to have used an accelerant to try and burn two cars and a house in what a judge described as 'a determined effort' to carry out violent acts.

Jamie Curran (29) of Ebrington Terrace and Damien Dunne (26) of Claremont Street both in Derry were charged with attempted arson of a vehicle on July 14, criminal damage, attempted arson of another vehicle and attempted arson of a house all on the same date.

Both men were also charged with abuse of the electronic network to send threatening messages on the same date. 

Dunne was further charged with a series of driving offences including ramming a police vehicle injuring two police officers on July 8 and dangerous driving on the same date.

He was further charged with assaulting a female occasioning her actual bodily harm on May 17, impersonating a police officer on the same date and making a threat to damage property.

Dunne was further charged with stealing a car on October 28 last year.

A police officer connected the accused to the charges and opposed bail. 

She told the court that on July 14 the alleged injured party reported her vehicle had been set alight by two men one of whom was Dunne who was her ex partner and the other she said was Curran who she said she knew for five years.

She said Curran had poured accelerant over the vehicle and set it alight and Dunne was driving the car and was alleged to have shouted to set fire to the rear window. 

On the same date the woman was alleged to have received messages threatening 'to burn her out' and making threats that 'they were in the area'.

The court was also told about a similar incident outside another females house when petrol was poured over her car and set alight as well as an incident at a man's home when windows were set alight when he was in his bed.

As regards the driving offences the court heard that police tried to stop a vehicle they believed was being driven by Dunne on July 8.

The vehicle initially slowed then rammed the police car causing it to spin around and injuring two officers 'not seriously' before making off towards the border after hitting the police vehicle a second time. 

The court was further told of an incident in an hotel in Belfast on May 17 where Dunne was alleged to have threatened to damage the female's car.

Police were called and Dunne was said to have left but then returned and banged on the door claimng to be police.

When the woman opened the door he was alleged to have assaulted her. 

Finally Dunne was charged with the theft of a vehicle after a woman had arranged for him to repair it but he never returned it.

Bail was opposed for both men as an officer said Dunne had 44 previous convictions and Curran 36.

She said the pair had 'shown recklessness' and could not be relied upon' to adhere to conditions. 

Defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott said these were 'complex matters' but both men had co-operated with police and provided alibis.

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He said it could be some time before the case came to court and both men could be ordered to stay away from certain parts of the city.

District Judge Ted Magill said that trying to burn someone's house when they were in bed could well end up as arson endangering life.

He described the bail applications as 'hopeless' and remanded both men in custody to appear again on August 7.