Robert Kane's burglary and criminal damage convictions quashed

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Robert Kane had his burglary and criminal damage convictions quashed by the Court of Appeal on 8 May 2019.

Kane had denied breaking into Patrick Morrissey and Co Solicitors on Crofton Road, Dun Laoghaire, on 3 February 2017. He was convicted by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced on 22 June 2017 to three years in prison, with the final six months suspended.

The appeal court found that jury instructions about the defence case had the potential to mislead or confuse jurors. It also found unfairness in the trial judge's failure to address evidence suggesting another intruder may have entered the offices.

The case was put back for the Director of Public Prosecutions to consider whether to seek a retrial.