'Solitary and sad' man gets 12 years for killing mother in Doochary arson

A "solitary and sad" man has been jailed for 12 years for killing his 88-year-old mother, who died in "horrific circumstances" in a house fire having "dedicated her life to caring" for her son.

Passing sentence on Geunter Lohse (63) on Friday, Ms Justice Melanie Greally noted there was no sign he made a credible effort to assist or save grandmother Ruth Lohse.

Geunter pleaded guilty earlier this year to unlawfully killing his mother Ruth by arson at the house they shared in Coolvoy, Doochary, Co Donegal on April 12, 2022. 

The defendant, who has been described as a 'vulnerable person", had originally been charged with murder, but the State accepted a plea to manslaughter.

Ms Lohse was described as the "heart and soul" of her family who kept them together.

The Central Criminal Court heard that Geunter had moved to Ireland with his mother and had lived with her all his life. However, in the days before the killing he was upset that the family had planned to send him back to Germany but keep his mother in Donegal.

The defendant admitted starting the fire using long matches, claiming that his family drove him to this by comments they made to him. He claimed he was only trying to destroy the property and not harm his mother.

Lohse appeared before the court via video link, as a translator in the courtroom read out the judge’s sentence to him in German.

In his victim impact statement, the defendant's brother Kurt Lohse spoke of the profound grief his family have endured since his mother’s death.

He described the "haunting memory" of arriving at the scene, hearing the screams, "witnessing the horror", and feeling "utterly helpless" amid the flashing lights. He said this trauma continues to cause nightmares for family members.

Ms Justice Greally said that the killing of Ruth Lohse was ‘an impulsive act of protest’, motivated by the defendant's anger and frustration at his perceived mistreatment by his family.

She said it was evident in the days prior to the incident that the defendant was acutely distressed and was suffering with underlying anxiety, while there was a high level of confusion associated with his actions.

She noted that although the defendant claims he didn’t intend for his mother to die, given her location in relation to the fire, she had no chance of escape.

Ms Justice Greally also noted there was no sign of a credible effort to assist or save her.

She said she was setting a headline sentence of 18 years. She said she took account of mitigating circumstances, including the fact the defendant was 63, had no previous convictions and had offered expressions of remorse.

She also took into account that Lohse made an early guilty plea, although there was strong proof of guilt. Ms Justice Greally recognised that the defendant can be considered a vulnerable person as a result of  asphyxiation at birth due to complications with the umbilical cord.

The aggravating factors included Lohse's recklessness in setting fire to an occupied home, the terror experienced by the victim - who the judge said died under horrific circumstances - and the multiple breaches of trust.

Ms Justice Greally highlighted that the victim dedicated her life to caring for the defendant, was elderly and vulnerable with limited mobility, and that the killing occurred in her own home.

She noted that Lohse has no social circle or family support and that his experience in prison will be an isolated and solitary one. She recommended that Lohse serve his sentence at Castlerea prison, where he is currently treated as a vulnerable person.

Ms Justice Greally said she would impose a sentence of 13 years with the final 12 months suspended.

Garda Ciara Gibbons previously told prosecution counsel, Philipp Rahn SC, that when firefighters arrived at the scene they found Ms Lohse seated in an armchair in the sitting room of her home. Three fires had been lit in the house with matches but no accelerant had been used, while a post mortem showed that Ms Lohse died from inhaling fumes.

Kurt Lohse, Geunter's brother, told gardai that he and his wife moved from Germany to Donegal in 2000 and in 2016 his mother and Geunter joined them. Geunter lived with his mother in the bungalow at Coolvoy which was rented from a local couple.

By 2022 their mother's health was deteriorating and they suspected she was developing dementia. The family put together a care plan that included Geunter moving back to Germany to live on his own. Geunter "wasn't particularly happy about that", Kurt told gardai, and became annoyed and distressed when the family began cleaning out the house at Coolvoy.

The day before the fire there was a confrontation when the family discovered that Geunter had written obscene and abusive messages into greeting cards that had been received from other family members.

At about 4.30pm the following day Kurt arrived at the house and described seeing thick black smoke and Geunter climbing out the bathroom window wearing a t-shirt and shorts. Geunter complained he was cold and needed a drink of milk.

When gardai arrived, Lohse admitted to starting the fire and during subsequent interviews at Ballyshannon Garda Station, said he had wanted to commit suicide. He told gardai he tried to move his mother but couldn't and tried to put the fire out but "it was going too fast".

He claimed he tried to electrocute himself and tried to die also, saying he didn’t mean for his mother to be harmed. He said he made efforts to extinguish the fire near his mother and claimed he tried to save his mother but wasn’t physically able.

However, the court heard his claims were unsupported by evidence and not compatible with observations from the family who arrived at the scene.

In a post-mortem examination, the victim’s death was established as smoke inhalation. The report also found that the victim's immobility impaired her ability to exit the house.

The court received several reports highlighting Lohse’s challenging background. He experienced birth asphyxiation, which may have affected his development, and left his job in 1984 following a seizure.

Although testing showed he was of average intelligence and did not have a mental disability, he was supported by his parents for his adult life and has never lived independently.

Psychological assessments described him as childlike, vulnerable and immature, with an anxiety disorder potentially linked to his dependence on his family.

Lohse has no previous convictions.

Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing BL, representing Lohse, said his client presents as a "solitary and sad individual who finds himself on his own and needs significant supports". Mr Ó Dúnlaing said Lohse's family had long suspected that he suffered from schizophrenia but he had never been seen by an expert and had no prior diagnosis of mental illness.

Having moved to Donegal from Germany in 2016, Ruth Lohse had grown to love its people, beaches and coastline, her son Kurt previously said in a written statement.