'Solitary and sad' man who killed mother by arson in Doochary plans return to Germany

A "solitary and sad" man who killed his 88-year-old mother by setting fire to her home intends to go home to Germany after serving his prison sentence and will undertake not to return here, the Central Criminal Court has heard. 

Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing BL said that Geunter Lohse (63) was in custody for a serious offence for which the sentence will be measured in years. He said that Lohse had shown genuine remorse for what he had done, having caused the death of his mother and pain to his family.  

Lohse pleaded guilty earlier this year to unlawfully killing his mother Ruth Lohse by arson at the house they shared in Coolvoy, Doochary, Co Donegal on April 12, 2022.  

He had originally been charged with the murder of his mother, but the State accepted a plea to manslaughter.   

At a sentencing hearing earlier this year, Ms Lohse, a grandmother, was described as the "heart and soul" of her family who kept them together.

Having moved to Donegal from Germany in 2016, she had grown to love its people, beaches and coastline, her son Kurt Lohse said in a written statement.

The court heard that Geunter moved to Ireland with his mother. He had lived with her all his life and in the days before the killing he was upset that the family had planned to send him back to Germany but to keep his mother in Donegal.

Garda Ciara Gibbons told the court that when firefighters arrived at the scene, they found Ms Lohse seated in an armchair in the sitting room of her home. Three fires had been lit in the house using matches but no accelerant was used and a post mortem showed that Ms Lohse died from inhaling fumes. 

Ms Justice Melanie Greally previously adjourned the matter for a probation report and psychiatric and psychological reports to be prepared.  

Presenting these reports to the court on Monday, Mr Ó Dúnlaing said that the defendant had no previous convictions, and it was his intention to return to Germany at the end of his sentence, for which he will require supports. Counsel said that Lohse would give an undertaking not to return to Ireland, adding that the probation report placed him at a moderate risk of reoffending. 

Considering the headline sentence, Mr Ó Dúnlaing said that while the offence was extraordinarily serious, it did not fall into the most serious category.  Ms Justice Greally adjourned the matter to November 11 for sentencing, remanding Lohse in custody until then.