Courts / Dublin / Report

"I don't care about getting caught," serial burglar told gardai

Date
2019-04-02

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 2 April 2019, Simon Whelan, aged 32, pleaded guilty to trespassing and theft in four student apartments at Gateway Student Village, Ballymun, on 4 October 2018. He also admitted to burglaries at Salamanca Restaurant (23 July 2017), Lush (16 August 2018), 777 Restaurant (20 August 2018) and Nisbits Catering Equipment (7 September 2018). Garda Sergeant Colm McGallagher recounted that Whelan broke into the apartments while occupants slept, stole laptops, speakers, watches, wallets and cash, and was caught after a garda saw him struggling with a heavy bag. Whelan claimed "I don't care about getting caught, it's about the hit." He has 105 prior convictions, including 57 burglaries, and has been in custody since 2007, developing an addiction to crack cocaine and heroin. The judge ordered a probation report, urine analysis, and remanded him in custody, with sentencing set for 30 May.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: "I don't care about getting caught," serial burglar told gardai. Charges or matters: trespass and theft of four apartments in Gateway Student village, Ballymun, on October 4, 2018; burglaries at Salamanca Restaurant, Andrew Street, on July 23, 2017, at Lush, Grafton Street, on August 16, 2018, at 777 Restaurant, South Great George's Street, on August 20, 2018 and at Nisbits Catering Equipment, ILAC Centre, on September 7, 2018 Garda Sergeant Colm McGallagher told the court that in the early hours of the morning on October 4, 2018, Whelan broke into four apartments in the student accommodation complex and stole valuable items while the occupants were sleeping. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

October 4, 2018 Incident
July 23, 2017 Incident
August 16, 2018 Incident
August 20, 2018 Incident
September 7, 2018 Incident
May 30 Adjournment
2019-04-02 Publication

Case subjects

Simon Whelan

Defendant

Charges: trespass and theft of four apartments in Gateway Student village, Ballymun, on October 4, 2018; burglaries at Salamanca Restaurant, Andrew Street, on July 23, 2017, at Lush, Grafton Street, on August 16, 2018, at 777 Restaurant, South Great George's Street, on August 20, 2018 and at Nisbits Catering Equipment, ILAC Centre, on September 7, 2018 Garda Sergeant Colm McGallagher told the court that in the early hours of the morning on October 4, 2018, Whelan broke into four apartments in the student accommodation complex and stole valuable items while the occupants were sleeping (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: She remanded him in custody and adjourned the matter for sentencing on May 30, next.