Man (39) jailed for over seven years for petrol bomb attack on Mayo residence

“This is a most extraordinary case and the ‘why’ is still not fully explained” - Judge Eoin Garavan

A Mayo family fled their home in terror after a petrol bomb attack.

Brendan Twomey, aged 39, of Elphin, Co. Roscommon, but originally from Dublin, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to arson.

Twomey travelled more than 50 miles from his home in Elphin to carry out the attack at the home of John and Margaret Sweeney and their six children in the early hours of February 21, 2025.

The Sweeneys were asleep in their house at Mill View Crescent, Ballina, when a petrol bomb was thrown through a front window at around 2 a.m.

Mr. and Mrs. Sweeney, and their children, aged 8 to 18 ran outside to safety.

The fire caused damage to the drapes, floor and a settee and gardaí discovered the remnants of a petrol bomb in the middle of the living room. The fire service extinguished the blaze.

A piece of blood-stained glass was recovered at the scene which DNA testing linked to Twomey.

He had cut himself throwing the petrol bomb through the window. The fire caused an estimated €6,000 worth of damage.

In a victim impact statement, Mr. Sweeney said the house was black with smoke and a clothes rail and furniture were on fire.

His youngest son would get sick every night before bed for two weeks after the arson attack while Mr. Sweeney and his eldest son kept watch during the night in case the perpetrator returned.

He said items of sentimental value were lost in the fire and the family were in fear that another attack could occur.

Twomey was arrested and question three times but remained silent throughout interviews.

The defendant is a father-of-five with 50 previous convictions.

Senior counsel, Desmond Dockery, representing Twomey, told the court that his client said the arson attack stemmed from a row in a pub in Elphin.

Investigating officer, Garda Donal Meade, said the court hearing was the first time he had heard this.

Mr. Sweeney said he had never met Twomey before.

Mr. Dockery claimed that the disagreement may have been with one of the older Sweeney children.

The barrister said Twomey’s partner and children have relocated to Dublin and he plans to join them in the future.

Twomey wrote a letter of apology in which he stated he “wasn’t thinking straight” and was sorry for his actions.

He had been in custody on these matters since July 1, 2025.

“This is a most extraordinary case and the ‘why’ is still not fully explained,” stated Judge Eoin Garavan.

“It certainly must put the Sweeney family in huge fear as they do not know why this occurred,” he added.

The judge said Twomey was a dangerous man and his actions could have easily “burned the house to the ground and everyone with it".

Judge Garavan jailed him for seven years and four months, with the sentence backdated to reflect time spent in custody.

“This man remains something of an enigma and must be considered very dangerous indeed,” the judge concluded.

* Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.