A homeless man who set fire to a city centre church in Dublin has been cleared of causing €4 million worth of damage by reason of insanity.
Patrick Currie immediately admitted the arson at St. Catherine's Church in Meath Street on January 2nd 2012.
Mr. Currie used his lighter to set fire to straw behind a crib at the Church. He said he did it because he was 'God Almighty'.
He told witnesses at a nearby hairdressers "I am after burning that church out of it and now I am off to Rome to burn the paedophiles". He also signed his finger print consent forms at the Garda station as Jesus Christ.
He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to damaging the interior and contents of the Church.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard evidence the 49-year-old has schizoaffective disorder.
After just over an hour of deliberations the jury cleared him of the charge because he is insane. He will be assessed at the Central Mental Hospital before the court reviews the case next month.
