A hair salon was forced to close after 24 years due to an arson incident in Longford town – leaving the owner with redundancy payments of over €110,000 for her staff, Longford Circuit Court has heard.
Pauline Belton said it was a ‘double tragedy’ for her – as her husband died shortly before the fire.
She was speaking at today's sentencing hearing of 57-year-old Chinese national Guo Zhong Chen, of Belvedere Terrace, Mullingar.
The blaze started in Grafton Court in Longford town at around 1.30am on July 28, 2024.
The court today heard 19 businesses were affected and the total financial loss was around €3.5 million.
Detective Garda Shane O’Connor said the fire caused serious economic and reputational damage to Longford town.
Chen, who’s an Irish citizen, pleaded guilty to starting the fire at the Oyama Sushi Restaurant in Grafton Court.
The court heard Chen had been in business with the main injured party in the case, but he then fell out with them.
According to garda evidence, Chen’s DNA was found on a blue cigarette lighter used to start the fire.
Chen’s barrister, Luke O’Higgins, said his client intended to only target one particular business – the Oyama Sushi Restaurant.
Detective Garda O’Connor said the blaze started in a gated laneway beside the restaurant but quickly spread, through a grease extraction fan, causing significant damage to other businesses.
Eleven of the 19 businesses affected provided victim-impact statements to the court.
They included Ms Belton, who was the owner of Grafters Hair Company, which was based in Grafton Court for 24 years before it was ‘destroyed’ on the night of the blaze.
She told the court: “I am a married woman, now a widow, living in Co Longford and the mother of three adult children, Simon, Keith and Warren.
“I make this victim impact statement to describe the profound, ongoing impact of a malicious fire that destroyed my hair salon business, along with the adjoining buildings.
“I had operated my business from this same premises continuously for 24 years, during which time I built up a successful, reputable and well-respected salon that was deeply rooted in the local community.
“The salon was a busy workplace with 15 employees and widely known as a place of trust, professional and connection within the town.
“This crime occurred after the death of my husband, George, whose passing had already left me as the sole breadwinner for my family.
“As a result of this malicious act, I was suddenly denied my only reliable and essential source of income at a time of extreme personal vulnerability.
“Although my premises was not specifically targeted, the salon was completely destroyed and it has not been possible for me to rebuild or restart my business, due to my financial position, meaning I am permanently unable to return to work that supported me, my family and my employees.
“I am now in a position of ongoing financial weakness, due to unresolved claims.
“Redundancy payments arising directly from this malicious fire were enacted for my staff, and the financial burden associated with these obligations has further weakened my position, leaving me with prolonged uncertainty, stress and fear about my future, as I genuinely do not know what the future holds for me financially.
“The weeks and months following the fire were exceptionally distressing, as I carried the heavy responsibility of being an employer to 15 staff, while simultaneously trying to cope with grief, shock and the collapse of my own financial security.
“This workplace was my second home and a place where I met and greeted friends, loyal customers and members of the community, providing me with purpose, routine and human connection following the loss of my husband.
“Everything I associated with this building, including my independence, sense of safety, personal identity and standing within the community, was torn away from me overnight as a direct result of this malicious and criminal act.
“I feel more exposed and vulnerable than perhaps other victims, due to the double tragedy inflicted upon me by the death of my husband and the deliberate destruction of my livelihood.
“Notwithstanding all of the above, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the investigating garda officers whose diligence, professionalism and persistence ensured that this criminal act was thoroughly investigated and successfully brought before the courts.”
She concluded: “I respectfully ask that An Garda Siochana and the court fully take into account the severe and lasting financial, emotional and personal harm that continues to affect my life as a direct consequence of this crime.”
The court heard several other victim impact statements.
The owner of the Oyama Sushi Restaurant, Heidi Zhou, said it suffered a financial loss of €230,000 from the fire, which started on its first day of business.
Optician Stephen Olwell, which was also based in Grafton Court, said he suffered a loss of over €100,000.
He added: “The whole rebuilding of my business can only be described as a nightmare.”
Another business affected was Alpha Medical Clinic, run by Roumaissa Slami.
She said she moved to Grafton Court in 2023, spent €50,000 renovating the premises, but her business was “in ashes” after the fire.
She said she used to make €10,000 a month from the business but now she’s lucky if she gets €1,500.
She added: “I am barely able to make ends meet. I have no savings.
“I am emotionally and financially destroyed.
“As a result of the fire, this person has destroyed me.
“Mentally, I am very vulnerable. There are no words that can describe the pain I am going through. I am the only breadwinner for my two children.
“I cannot afford luxuries – no holidays, very basic clothes.
“I am counting the pennies. I have never felt so vulnerable.
“I really do feel awful and am on the verge of giving up.
“I would like to teach this criminal a lesson for the damage done.”
The court also heard from Dermot Smith, who’s the owner of the complex, along with his brother, Kevin.
Dermot said it's a concrete building, with three storeys, all of which are commercial.
He said three men, who were working on the building, decided to sleep there on the night of the fire but were evacuated on time and were not injured.
Dermot said the impact the fire has had on the business owners and those who occupied the building was way more than for him.
"It was horrendous," he said.
He said, when he heard about the fire and visited the scene the next morning, he felt destroyed.
He said his world was taken away from him.
He said he felt wiped out, finished totally, with the whole building and the roof gone.
He said over 100 people were impacted by the fire. He said there were some life-changing results. He said some people lost their jobs; some lost their businesses, which will never reopen.
Chen’s barrister, Luke O’Higgins, said his client had a difficult upbringing in China, as his father died when he was very young.
He said he has no formal education and is completely illiterate.
The court heard Chen came to Ireland in the early 2000s and has no previous convictions here.
Barrister O’Higgins said there was no way to properly explain Chen’s actions on the night of the fire, adding: “They were shocking and criminal.”
He said while 19 businesses were affected, Chen’s intention was to only target one business, adding: “Once someone starts a fire, they have no control over what happens next.”
Judge Kenneth Connolly remanded Chen in custody until July 7, when sentencing will continue.
