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'People like this ruin lives': Burglar who 'systematically destroyed' phone shop is jailed
Summary
A 23‑year‑old Romanian‑born burglar, Constantin Leonard Magadau, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for a June 2023 break‑in at Murray Mobile in Dundrum, where he used a crowbar to enter through a broken window, smashed display cases and stole €33,000 of stock. He also caused €15,000 of criminal damage. The getaway car was abandoned a short distance away, and a mobile phone and loyalty tag linked to Magadau were found there. The shop owner's impact statement described sleepless nights, staff worry and the need to refurbish the store, noting the business nearly closed. Judge Elva Duffy cited the systematic destruction, planning, significant loss and the driver's dangerous conduct as aggravating factors, while noting his early guilty plea and admission of wrongdoing as mitigating. She also disqualified him from driving for five years. The sentence was back‑dated to his custody date.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'People like this ruin lives': Burglar who 'systematically destroyed' phone shop is jailed. Charges or matters: burglary, dangerous driving and failing to stop a vehicle on Main Street, Dundrum, Dublin 14, on June 6, 2023. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- June 6, 2023 Incident
- 2024-03-08 Publication
Why: "My entire business nearly closed because of this. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: burglary, dangerous driving and failing to stop a vehicle on Main Street, Dundrum, Dublin 14, on June 6, 2023 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Passing sentence today, Judge Elva Duffy said Magadau "caused a very significant amount of damage" by "ransacking" the premises. The judge sentenced him to three and a half years in prison, backdated to when he went into custody on this matter.
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