Courts / Dublin / Report
Knife-wielding burglar who attacked and 'terrified' priest gets six years
Summary
Anthony Connors, 47, pleaded guilty to robbing a priest at a parochial house in Coolock on 30 September 2021. CCTV showed him inside the house for 20 minutes, during which he stole from the priest, knocked him to the ground and threatened him with a knife, leaving the priest terrified. Connors has 61 prior convictions, including burglary, false imprisonment, assault and impersonating a Garda. The court heard the priest escaped, ran to a neighbour who called the Gardaí, and that the priest now suffers sleepless nights and anxiety about opening his door. Connors' guilty plea and letter of remorse were considered. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a headline sentence of eight years but, after taking the plea and remorse into account, sentenced him to six years in prison, backdated from his arrest. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence and Connors' extensive criminal record. The priest's victim impact statement was submitted but not read aloud.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Knife-wielding burglar who attacked and 'terrified' priest gets six years. Charges or matters: the robbery of a priest at a parochial house in the Coolock area on September 30, 2021. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- September 30, 2021 Incident
- 2023-10-12 Publication
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: the robbery of a priest at a parochial house in the Coolock area on September 30, 2021 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: After taking the accused's guilty plea and his letter of remorse into consideration, he sentenced him to six years in prison, which will be backdated from when he went into custody on this matter.
Places mentioned
Topics
Burglary Stage Sentence Violent Crime
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