Man pleads guilty to Longford Town arson that caused €3m worth of damage

A Mullingar restaurant owner has pleaded guilty to an incident of arson which caused €3m worth of damage to a shopping street in Longford Town in July of last year.

Guo Zhong Chen (56), a Chinese national with an address of 9 Belvedere Terrace, Mullingar, County Westmeath, appeared before Judge Kenneth Connolly at Longford Circuit Court this afternoon, where he said via an interpreter: “I plead guilty.”

The plea was entered to count two on the indictment, arson contrary to section 2(1) and 2(4) of the Criminal Damage Act 1991, on a full facts basis. A count of criminal damage will be taken into consideration when Mr Chen is sentenced.

The incident occurred on July 28, 2024, in the Grafton Court Complex of Longford Town, when a blaze forced the closure of more than a dozen businesses, and caused €3m worth of damage. The criminal damage charge related to a Land Rover at Townparks, Longford, on July 7, 2024.

Mr Luke O’Higgins, BL, for Mr Chen, submitted to the court that the plea was made in short order after the book of evidence was translated to mandarin and subsequently translated to an audio format due to Mr Chen’s literacy difficulties.

Judge Connolly accepted that submission and noted the plea as an early plea of guilt.

“For the purpose of sentence, it’s not at all lost on me how long this matter would have taken had it gone to trial,” he said, noting the three weeks that would have been set aside as “a considerable amount of time”, with a need for an interpreter.

“The plea is very welcome,” he said.

A report furnished to the court today stated Mr Chen has been “an enhanced prisoner” since October 2024, and his general behaviour is “exceptional”.

He is currently working in the main kitchen of the prison and his experience in a busy kitchen allows him to train others to work in the canteen.

Judge Connolly directed a probation report and an updated governor’s report, but stated he will not be directing an assessment for suitability for community service in this case, due to the severity of the damage done.

“It is a very significant matter,” he said.

Mr Chen will reappear before Longford Circuit Court on February 3, 2026, for sentence, and was remanded in custody until that date.