Man sentenced over Masonic Hall attack

A LOCAL man has pleaded guilty to setting fire to and robbing a Lisburn Masonic Hall in July 2012.
Masonic Hall, Blaris Road, Lisburn.Masonic Hall, Blaris Road, Lisburn.
Masonic Hall, Blaris Road, Lisburn.

Steven Smyth, 21, from Hannahstown Road, Lisburn, was sentenced to one year in prison for burglary. He was also sentenced to one year and eight months in prison on the each of the charges for the arson and criminal damage of the Masonic Hall at Blaris. The sentences, which are to run concurrently, were suspended for three years during the case, which was heard recently at Craigavon Crown Court.

Smyth was also ordered to pay £1,750 in compensation.

Members of the Masonic Hall in Blaris were left shocked last summer when the hall was vandalised and set alight, whilst jewels and personal mementoes belonging to deceased former members were stolen.

The hall has now been refurbished, with members contributing to most of the work themselves, with a rededication ceremony taking place in March, when the Provincial Grand Master of Down attended the re-opening and rededication.

Michael Holden, the PR Officer for the Grand Lodge of Freemasons of Ireland said: “The refurbishment is completed and the hall was reopened in March. We did a lot of the work ourselves and the refurbishment costs are into tens of thousands of pounds. The cost of refurbishments have been covered by insurance, it is just the whole shock of what happened that affects you.

“It is great to have the hall open again. We’ve taken a lot of pride in the effort we’ve put into it and are delighted how it turned out. There is a lot of personal pride in it by the people who have put in the time free of charge.

“We were glad the culprit actually had the gumption to own up. We are glad that it is over and done and that justice has been done.”

He added: “Unfortunately we didn’t get back the property stolen, the guy had a companion and wouldn’t divulge who it was. Losing historical jewels was a real shame but they are unique to us if someone comes across them in the future.

“We hope that people out there who get the notion to do this kind of thing realises that it does have a devastating effect on the people who use the hall.

“The Freemasons put a lot of money and time into charitable organisations in the local community and we’d like people to appreciate that.”