CONCLUSION

Why would someone about to set fire to a building agree to sell it first?

1. You will note there is a Garda Investigation into fires. If something went wrong (say the arsonist was caught) Herbert Mulligan would be in trouble.

It would clearly be very useful to be able to complete the sale and remove his motive retrospectively. It should be noted that the purchaser tried to cancel contract but this was refused and the situation was left in "limbo" for almost a year after the fire - time to be sure the Garda Investigation had run out of steam.

2. The purchaser's name was used to put the claim through the Insurance Company. You will note the sale price was £34,000 but reinstatement value was over £100,000. The purchaser ended up paying more than the price but got no house. Incidentally the Fire Officer's Report is made out to No. 8 not No. 9. There was no No.8 since the 1960s.