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Burglar claimed he wouldn't have knowingly broken into occupied home

Summary

Eddie Cawley, 22, pleaded guilty to burglary at a Portmarnock house on 9 March 2020. He and a co‑accused rang the doorbell, knocked, and when no one answered they damaged the front door to enter. The homeowner's son, who was in the bathroom, heard the noise, confronted one intruder on the stairs, and the men fled. Cawley claimed he would not have entered if he had known someone was home and had no weapon, though a claw hammer was used in the confrontation. No items were taken, only door damage. He was arrested after a chase, and the pair were taken into custody. Judge Melanie Greally, considering his guilty plea, past convictions, and personal circumstances, sentenced him to four and a half years, suspending 18 months on strict conditions including 12 months probation supervision. The sentence was imposed in 2022.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Burglar claimed he wouldn't have knowingly broken into occupied home. Charges or matters: burglary at a residential address in Portmarnock on March 9, 2020. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• March 9, 2020 Incident
• May 2021 Incident
• 2022-02-08 Publication

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

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Burglary Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report