A woman who ignited a double-decker bus during the chaotic 2023 Dublin riots has been sentenced to six years in prison, moments after launching a foul-mouthed outburst at the judge. Leanne Kelly, 34, of no fixed abode, exploded in court when Judge Martina Baxter suggested adjourning the case for a governor’s report and urine analysis. « F*** off, » Kelly snapped, adding: « You’re not getting any urines out of me. »
Undeterred, the judge proceeded to impose sentence on the spot. Kelly had pleaded guilty to arson causing criminal damage on O’Connell Bridge during the riots on November 23, 2023. The bus, fortunately empty of passengers, was completely destroyed in a blaze that cost Dublin Bus £418,482 (€477,851).
CCTV footage shown in court captured Kelly’s actions. After looting a Circle K shop with others, she joined a crowd around the abandoned vehicle. Earlier, rioters had punched the driver, threatened to kill him, and forced him off the bus – though Kelly was not part of that group. The terrified driver fled on foot to Ringsend depot.
Kelly then tried smashing the steering wheel, damaged a mirror, and elbowed a window. She picked up cardboard, lit it using flames from a nearby burning garda car – effectively using the police vehicle as an accelerant – and hurled the flaming material onto the bus. Detective Garda Barry Brennan confirmed she was the sole person responsible for starting the fire.
The riots erupted after a knife attack on Parnell Street injured young children and a childcare worker. Homeless and battling drug addiction at the time, Kelly « got caught up » in the mayhem, reported RTE. Her defence emphasised she had no political motive and was under the influence of drugs, unable to fully explain her behaviour.
With 66 previous convictions – including theft, robbery, assault causing harm, and drug offences – Kelly was on bail when the riot occurred. She has been in custody since last year, serving time for assault.
A victim impact statement from Dublin Bus highlighted the trauma inflicted on staff. « Employees have never experienced anything like the violent, threatening and volatile behaviour on that day, » it read. Drivers, many from overseas, became targets, leaving morale « deeply affected ». Eight vehicles were damaged that night, three totally destroyed, with losses nearing €1.9million.
Defence counsel John Byrne SC presented a handwritten apology letter from Kelly, describing her grim background: limited education, running away from home at 14. He argued she deeply regretted joining the « frenzy ».
Judge Baxter condemned Kelly’s « breathtaking and completely gratuitous » disdain in torching the bus, saying she fed into a « mob mentality » with shameful disregard for others. The events rippled through society, particularly affecting Dublin Bus workers.
While noting Kelly’s courtroom attitude contrasted with claims of remorse, the judge accepted she was genuinely sorry. The six-year term was backdated to 10 October 2025, when her prior assault sentence ended.
This case underscores the lasting consequences of that night of lawlessness in Dublin’s city centre.
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