Ballina man changes plea to guilty in arson case

A 41-year-old man is to be sentenced in February after pleading guilty to carrying out an arson attack on the constituency office of former Mayo TD Michelle Mulherin.

John Clarke, Greenhills Estate, Ballina, had originally pleaded not guilty but changed his plea to guilty before Judge Rory MacCabe at the Circuit Criminal Court in Castlebar today.

Mr. Clarke was re-arraigned this morning and a jury which had been hearing the case was discharged.

Earlier, the court heard that damage amounting to €23,184 was caused when Mr. Clarke threw a homemade petrol bomg through the window of Ms. Mulherin's office at Casement treet, Ballina, on January 27, 2015.

Ms. Mulherin was a TD at the time. She is now a Senator.

After the guilty plea, Mr. Clarke was remanded on bail for sentencing next February.

An assessment is to be made as to whether the accused is suitable for community service.

At the request of barrister Mr. Diarmuid Connolly, legal aid was extended to cover the cost of a psychiatric report.