BREAKING: Three schoolboys in court after damage worth €190,000 caused in Kildare stud farm fire

Damage costing an estimated €190,000 was caused at a stud farm near Naas after a fire broke out, it was claimed at the local district court.

Three juveniles, who cannot be identified because of their age, face an allegation of arson at Rathasker Stud, near the Kilcullen Road, on February 7, 2025.

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Sgt Dave Hanrahan said it will be alleged the three defendants set fire to 450 bales of hay or straw, a barn and horsebox.

He added they are friends and were trespassing.

Sgt Hanrahan said they allegedly set fire to bales of hay and straw and the fire service was deployed to deal with the blaze.

He said the fire started at around 5.30pm, the owners noticed it, saw a number of youths and “took photographs of them."

The aftermath of the blaze

He said three teens, two aged 14 and one aged 15 at the time, were arrested.

Defending solicitor David Powderly made an application to have the case heard in the district court, where less stringent penalties can be imposed, rather than the circuit court - as recommended by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Mr Powderly noted the circuit court has more formality, higher sentencing powers and cases can be heard by jury.

He said the defendants are all in secondary school, they have no previous convictions, never came to garda attention before and had no previous issues before a court and he asked for the case to remain in the lower court, which is allowed for  under Section 75 of the Children Act.

He also pointed out that they are closer to the beginning of their teenage years than adulthood.

Mr Powderly also said that if this allegation had been made earlier in their lives they might not have been "criminally liable” in law because of their ages.

"They are just above the age where they are criminally responsible,” he said.

He said the incident could have caused little or no damage and he said a “simple and stupid prank” was at the root of what occurred.

“A bale of straw was set on fire and it had catastrophic consequences. It went beyond anything that was foreseeable,” he added.

He said that if two or three bales were involved the matter would have been dealt with by way of a juvenile caution. He said no accelerant was used and no other items were lit to start the blaze.

“There are no aggravating features, no additional actions or risks," he stated.

Judge Desmond Zaidan said that the DPP had decided the case was too serious to be tried “at this level”.

He said this was “a very dangerous alleged act” and it was fortunate that there were no injuries, including to the defendant, or to any animals.

He said they should have known they are at “significant risk when messing with fire.”

He said the court was satisfied it was not a minor allegation and refused the application to hear the matter in the district court.

All three are on garda station bail and the case was adjourned to January 22 for the preparation of a book of evidence.