'Media saturation': Longford arson accused requests to have case moved to a different location

The man charged in connection with the July 28, 2024 fire in Grafton Court, Longford town made a request to have the matter moved to a different location because of the “media saturation” the case has garnered.

Guo Zhong Chen (55), of Belvedere Terrace, Mullingar, is charged with arson and Section 2 criminal damage in relation to the Grafton Court fire. The defendant was represented in Circuit Court proceedings by barrister Christine Burke BL.

Counsel said the “complex and extensive investigation” had yielded over 60 hours of CCTV and extensive recordings of interviews, all of which would require the assistance of a Chinese interpreter present while the legal team went through them with Mr Chen.

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Ms Burke said the Book of Evidence against the defendant also needed to be translated into Mandarin Chinese. Counsel asked for legal aid to be extended to cover a documentary junior because of the volume of audio, video and documentation.

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Judge Kenneth Connolly granted the extension of the legal aid and said the motion to move the trial could be heard when the matter returns before the court on May 8, 2025.

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