Courts / Galway / Report
'I want to kill you': jail for knife-wielding burglar who claimed house was his
Summary
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Michael French, aged 28, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for a violent burglary that took place at a city‑centre home on 30 January 2021. French entered the victim's house at about 1.30 a.m., wearing only shorts, and confronted the homeowner, who was in his 40s, with a knife. French shouted threats, including "I want to kill you," and pinned the victim against a wall, striking him in the stomach. The victim eventually calmed the situation by agreeing that the house was his, and a neighbour called the Gardaí. French fled but was apprehended after attempting to jump a fence. He admitted to taking cocaine and ecstasy that night and had a history of schizophrenia, drug and alcohol addiction, and homelessness. The judge, citing French's mental health issues, suspended the last 18 months of a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, resulting in a final term of three years' imprisonment. Michael French pleaded guilty.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'I want to kill you': jail for knife-wielding burglar who claimed house was his. Charges or matters: aggravated burglary. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- January 30, 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2022-06-23 Publication
Why: When asked by Gardai during interview if he knew why he was in custody, he said: "I am here because this is where I am. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: aggravated burglary (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He suspended the last 18 months of a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence.
Places mentioned
Topics
Burglary Drugs Stage Sentence Violent Crime
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