Courts / Dublin / Report

Serial burglar used master key to access hotel rooms

Date
2021-02-25

Stage
Charge Or Pretrial

Primary locality
Dublin City

County
Dublin

Summary

A 48‑year‑old serial burglar, Bernard Foran, was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that he used a stolen master key to break into a dozen rooms at the Dean Hotel on 17 October 2020 while he was on bail for earlier burglary offences. Foran, who lives on Cloonlara Road, Finglas, had already pleaded guilty to two further burglaries on 18 October 2020 at Cedar Tree Restaurant and The Globe Bar, both in Dublin city centre. He admitted to forcing entry into a storage area, acquiring the master key, and then using it to enter 12 hotel rooms, stealing cash, jewellery and an Apple watch. The next night he was caught by a staff member at The Globe Bar, where he was found with a silver knife he claimed was for protection but had been stolen from Cedar Tree Restaurant.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Serial burglar used master key to access hotel rooms. Charges or matters: burglary at Dean Hotel, Harcourt Street, Dublin city centre, on October 17, 2020; burglaries at Cedar Tree Restaurant, St Andrew's Street, Dublin city centre, and at The Globe Bar, South Great George's Street, Dublin city centre, both on October 18, 2020. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

October 17, 2020 Incident
October 18, 2020 Incident
May 18 Adjournment
2021-02-25 Publication

Case subjects

Bernard Foran

Defendant

Charges: burglary at Dean Hotel, Harcourt Street, Dublin city centre, on October 17, 2020; burglaries at Cedar Tree Restaurant, St Andrew's Street, Dublin city centre, and at The Globe Bar, South Great George's Street, Dublin city centre, both on October 18, 2020 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Melanie Greally ordered a report from the Probation Service and adjourned the matter for finalisation to May 18, next.