Guo Zhong Chen, 57, of Belvedere Terrace, Mullingar, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for a July 2024 arson attack in Longford that caused over €3m in damage. Judge Kenneth Connolly handed down a 14-year headline sentence at Longford Circuit Court, which was mitigated to ten years and six months with the final 18 months suspended. The blaze, which destroyed property in the Grafton Court Complex, forced the closure of 19 businesses.
How the Arson Occurred
On July 28, 2024, Chen set fire to a gated laneway adjacent to Oyama Sushi, in Grafton Court. Garda Shane O’Connor testified that the fire spread rapidly, causing substantial damage to 19 businesses, some of which never reopened. Investigators utilized extensive CCTV footage to track Chen’s movements from Austin Friar Street in Mullingar to Longford town via the N4, and his subsequent return to Mullingar through Edgeworthstown and Ballymahon. Chen was arrested on August 8, 2024, and initially denied involvement before pleading guilty in October.
Did You Know? Guo Zhong Chen is a naturalized Irish citizen who has lived in the country since 2001 and has held Irish citizenship since 2008, having previously renounced his Chinese citizenship upon moving to the UK in the late 1990s.
The Context of the Attack
Chen, who is illiterate and has no formal education, told the court in a letter of apology that his actions were motivated by a desire to “frighten and scare” a former business partner. He had trained the woman to assist him with his sushi and bubble tea business because of his own limited grasp of the English language. When she decided to leave the business, Chen stated he felt taken advantage of, though he later acknowledged this feeling was wrong. He described his actions as a “stupid and foolish thing to do” and expressed shame for the impact on the local community.
While Judge Connolly characterized Chen’s culpability as "very high indeed," he noted the absence of the heightened malice typically found in cases where a perpetrator intentionally sets fire to a residence knowing it is occupied.
What May Happen Next
Following the sentencing, the 19 affected business owners face the long-term reality of the €3.5m damage bill, with 11 proprietors having already submitted victim impact statements to the court. As Chen begins his nine-year term, his family in China—whom he had supported financially through his previous work in takeaways, a supermarket, and a bakery—will face the loss of his income.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the total cost of the damage?
The arson attack resulted in over €3m worth of damage, with court records specifying the total impact at €3.5m.
How many businesses were impacted by the fire?
A total of 19 businesses in the Grafton Court Complex were affected, and the court heard that some of these businesses never reopened.
What were the mitigating factors in the sentence?
Michael O’Higgins SC noted that Chen had a complicated upbringing involving child labor, lacks formal education, is illiterate, and expressed remorse in a letter of apology to the victims, Gardaí, and the people of Longford.
How will the local business community recover from the permanent closure of multiple storefronts in the Grafton Court area?
