Man in court after three dogs die in house fire

Image caption, The house in the Rosemount area of Londonderry was badly damaged in the fire

A man has appeared in court charged over an alleged arson attack on a house in Londonderry in which three dogs were found dead.

Conor Lishman, 36, of Eastway Gardens in Derry is accused of arson with intent to endanger life, criminal damage, trespassing and assault on police on 16 June.

The charges relate to a house fire in the Meadowview Crescent area of Rosemount on Sunday.

A police officer told Londonderry Magistrates' Court on Tuesday that she could connect the accused to the charges.

Dog owner 'distressed'

The police officer told the court that police were called by the Northern Ireland Fire Rescue Service (NIFRS) to the blaze at a house occupied by a woman, her four children and her dogs.

The three dogs died in the fire and the police witness said the woman who owned them was "quite distressed".

CCTV footage played in court showed a woman leaving the house and a short time later a male wearing a white hoodie leaving the same address.

The footage then showed smoke and flames coming from the property.

When the defendant was arrested, he was said to have become violent and allegedly assaulted three officers before being restrained.

The mother of the woman who lived in the house contacted police to say she had been told Mr Lishman had entered the house and stolen medication.

The officer said that the defendant had shown "a flagrant disregard for the rule of law".

She added that there was "a lot of anger" in the community and there were fears for the defendant's safety if he were released on bail.

Image caption, Fire crews tackled the blaze on Sunday evening

A defence solicitor said the allegations were serious but that the evidence appeared to be "patchy".

District Judge Barney McElholm said that it was "an extremely serious matter", as the arson was at a terraced house.

He said the deaths of the dogs was "traumatic" for the woman who owned them.

The judge said there was a risk to other people in releasing Mr Lishman but there was also a risk to him due to the anger in Derry and he felt he would not be safe "anywhere in the city".

He remanded Mr Lishman in custody to appear again on 11 July.