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Burglar said he wouldn't have broken into house if he knew it was occupied

Summary

In a burglary case heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 22‑year‑old Eddie Cawley pleaded guilty to breaking into a house in Portmarnock on 9 March 2020. He and a co‑accused rang the doorbell and knocked on the front door at lunchtime. When no one answered, they damaged the door to gain entry. The homeowner's son, who was in the bathroom upstairs, heard the noise, ran out, and confronted one of the burglars on the stairs. The intruder fled after a brief confrontation. Cawley and the other man then fled in a Nissan Almera, which was later stopped by Gardaí. No items were taken from the house, though the front door was damaged. Cawley stated he would not have entered had he known someone was home and claimed he had no weapon. He has 27 prior convictions, including six burglaries. The judge adjourned sentencing to 31 January 2022 to allow reports to be prepared.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Burglar said he wouldn't have broken into house if he knew it was occupied. Charges or matters: burglary at a residential address in Portmarnock on March 9, 2020. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

• March 9, 2020 Incident
• January 31, 2022 Adjournment
• 2021-11-01 Publication

Why: The homeowners' son had not answered the door because he was upstairs in the bathroom. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Burglary Stage Charge Or Pretrial

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Read the original CNI report