The defence says 'height of the case against' arson accused 'is a clothing description'
A teenager allegedly started a fire which destroyed buildings and caused more than £3m worth of damage to businesses in Belfast city centre, a court heard today.
More than 50 firefighters tackled the blaze as it tore through the listed Old Cathedral Building on Donegall Street in the early hours of Monday morning.Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard PSNI officers on mobile patrol first spotted smoke billowing from the nearby Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman’s offices on Church Street at 5.38am.
“The early estimate of the damage is around £3m, although this is expected to rise considerably as the extent of the victims’ losses becomes known.” “CCTV operators were able to confirm this was the same male seen climbing down the scaffolding in earlier CCTV,” the detective said.