Courts / Dublin / Report

Serial burglar conned her way in to home of elderly dementia sufferer

Summary

In a Dublin burglary case, 27‑year‑old Margaret Cawley, with a co‑accused and a child, entered the home of an 84‑year‑old dementia sufferer by pretending to be an acquaintance. The elderly woman's 75‑year‑old sister opened the door after a visit. Cawley and her accomplice entered the sitting room, spoke to the resident as if they knew her, and offered tea. While in the kitchen, Cawley stole the resident's handbag from her rollator walker; the co‑accused took the sister's bag. They fled in a Nissan Almera, later found by Garda Stephen Broderick, who recovered the bags, a walking stick, disabled parking discs, prescriptions, bank, social welfare and medical cards, and €100 cash. Cawley pleaded guilty to trespass and theft at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, was already serving a 22‑month district court sentence for a previous burglary, and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Serial burglar conned her way in to home of elderly dementia sufferer. Charges or matters: trespass and theft at Newcastle Manor Rise, Newcastle, Dublin, on March 14, 2017. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• March 14, 2017 Incident
• 2018-01-16 Publication

Why: Mr Dwyer submitted to Judge Martin Nolan that his client had had an unhappy childhood with time spent in various women's refuge centres because of her violent father. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Burglary Stage Sentence Theft

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Read the original CNI report