Courts / Dublin / Report

Jail for burglar who stole anti-epilepsy medicine

Date
2020-04-27

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Austin Byrne, aged 43, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years' imprisonment for a series of burglaries committed in April 2019. He pleaded guilty to breaking into three Dublin residences: Wintergarden on 10 April, Byrnes Lane on 17 April, and Fitzwilliam Street Lower on 19 April. The offences involved the theft of clothing, foreign currency, an Apple MacBook, an Apple Watch, earrings, chains, anti‑epileptic medicine, a wedding ring, and other jewellery. Byrne had 73 prior convictions, including burglary, aggravated burglary and robbery. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted that Byrne's primary motive appeared to be raising money for drugs, and that his previous convictions and the value of the stolen items aggravated the case. She gave credit for his guilty pleas and engagement with addiction services, and suspended the final 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Jail for burglar who stole anti-epilepsy medicine. Charges or matters: burglary at Wintergarden, Pearse Street, Dublin, on April 10, 2019, and at Byrnes Lane, Pearse Street, Dublin, on April 17, 2019; burglary at Fitzwilliam Street Lwr, Dublin, on April 19, 2019. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

April 10, 2019 Incident
April 17, 2019 Incident
April 19, 2019 Incident
April 10 Incident
April 17 Other
April 19 Other
2020-04-27 Publication

Case subjects

Austin Byrne

Defendant

Charges: burglary at Wintergarden, Pearse Street, Dublin, on April 10, 2019, and at Byrnes Lane, Pearse Street, Dublin, on April 17, 2019; burglary at Fitzwilliam Street Lwr, Dublin, on April 19, 2019 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: She sentenced Byrne to three-and-a-half years imprisonment, but suspended the final 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions.