Courts / Kilkenny / Report
Pub burglar has sentence cut
Summary
Romeo Stanescu, a 30‑year‑old Romanian, pleaded guilty to burglary at The Playwright pub in Kilkenny on 11 June 2018, stealing €3,500 in banknotes. He was originally sentenced to three years' imprisonment by Judge Terence O'Sullivan on 29 October 2019. On appeal, the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, reduced his term to two years. Edwards noted that Stanescu entered the pub shortly after opening, claimed he was looking for coffee, and later sought a toilet, leaving the premises after taking money from a cupboard. CCTV captured him removing bundles of cash and attempting to access a safe. Edwards described the offence as an opportunistic theft with limited premeditation, and the loss did not threaten the business. The final sentence was two years' imprisonment, with the last 18 months suspended.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Pub burglar has sentence cut. Charges or matters: burglary at The Playwright pub, Kilkenny, on June 11, 2018, where the Romanian national made off with €3,500 in banknotes. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- June 11, 2018 Incident
- October 29, 2019 Incident
- 2020-03-09 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: burglary at The Playwright pub, Kilkenny, on June 11, 2018, where the Romanian national made off with €3,500 in banknotes (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He was sentenced to three years imprisonment by Judge Terence O'Sullivan on October 29, 2019, but the Court of Appeal cut Stonescu's jail term to two years today following a successful appeal. Mr Justice Edwards, who sat with President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham, and Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, re-sentenced Stonescu to three-and-a-half years imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended.
Places mentioned
- North Circular Road
- Kilkenny
- Kilkenny Circuit Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
Topics
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