Jamie Nulty, aged 22, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary at Castaheany, Clonee on 15 July 2017, when he was 19. He broke into the home of Sarah Kearney while she was in bed, armed with a screwdriver that he had entered through a downstairs window. Nulty demanded money, took her bank card and PIN, and searched the house while holding the screwdriver. He attempted to take a computer and later tried to stop Kearney from calling 999, grabbing her arm and throwing her onto the bed. The ordeal ended when he left, putting a tea towel on his head and riding a bike. Kearney suffered post‑traumatic stress disorder and claimed €1,000 in losses. Nulty also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving on 17 February 2017; he was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on 29 July. The court heard he had 23 previous convictions and was on bail for the earlier offence.
Jonathan Fagan, 24, was jailed after a burglary at a JD Sports shop on Henry Street, Dublin. He and an accomplice broke the shop's window, entered, and stole over €1,300 worth of clothing. CCTV footage showed them entering and exiting the shop. Garda Aisling Gralton found Fagan on Wolfe Tone Street, lying on the stolen clothes, bleeding and intoxicated. He pleaded guilty to burglary on 31 October 2019. With 167 prior convictions, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 20 months' imprisonment, back‑dated to the arrest date, and noted his drug‑addiction background.
Daniel Murphy, aged 21, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for two offences. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on 6 September 2018 and to aggravated burglary on 4 January 2020. The assault involved a Latvian man whose stolen bike was unlocked by another man; Murphy and a third man punched and kicked the victim, who required stitches and suffered a black eye. While on bail for the assault, Murphy and another man broke into a flat on James' Street. The resident confronted them, and Murphy jabbed a screwdriver at her. They attempted to steal her TV and phone, smashing a window in the process. The court noted 53 prior convictions, many from juvenile years. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a one‑year term for the assault and a three‑and‑a‑half‑year term for the burglary, running consecutively, with the final 18 months suspended for an effective custodial term of three years.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, John Lennon, aged 40, pleaded guilty to robbery at Thomas Court pharmacy on 2 October 2019. Lennon, who had previously served a two‑year sentence for robbery and was due for release in January 2022, was also facing a consecutive one‑year term for burglary. During the robbery he brandished a screwdriver, demanded two packets of valium from the pharmacy staff while claiming he was hallucinating due to drug use, and left after the staff threw the packets at him. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted Lennon's history of offending but also his recent rehabilitation efforts and a guilty plea. He imposed a 16‑month sentence, consecutive to the existing two‑year term but concurrent with the pending burglary term, citing good hope for reform. The case highlighted Lennon's drug‑related motives and the lack of physical confrontation with staff.
A 29‑year‑old man, Dylan Murphy, was arrested after a teenager was attacked during a burglary at a flat on Thomas Street, Dublin. The victim, an Iranian teenager aged 19, was taken to hospital after Murphy smashed a large bottle across the side of his head. Murphy was seen walking around the emergency department and was found to be carrying stolen Iraqi currency and rolling tobacco. He claimed he could not explain how he had the cash and denied having broken into the flat. He also admitted to taking tablets and drinking beer and whiskey. Judge Pauline Codd sentenced Murphy to six years in prison, suspending the final four years, and ordered that the sentence run consecutively with two years already imposed for other robberies in 2018. The suspension was conditional on Murphy attending drug treatment, alcohol awareness and anger management programmes and maintaining good behaviour.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 58‑year‑old man was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for sexual assaults on 14 teenage girls between May 1994 and February 2001. He pleaded guilty in 2002 to ten of the assaults and received a nine‑year sentence with two years suspended. He denied three further assaults, but a jury convicted him of 30 counts involving four additional girls. The court imposed consecutive sentences: two years for the first victim, two‑and‑a‑half years for the second, two years for the third, and six months for the fourth, totaling seven years. The judge described him as a "true predator" who groomed victims with money, cigarettes and jewellery, and who used his flat as a refuge to facilitate abuse. The man had been convicted of burglary in Ireland and the UK and had been in custody since March 2018. No further charges were brought for his time in the UK.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 58‑year‑old Dublin man was found guilty of 30 counts of sexual assault against four girls, having previously pleaded guilty to ten similar offences in 2002 and 2003. He received a nine‑year sentence with the final two years suspended. The court heard victim impact statements from three of the four women, who described long‑term emotional damage, drug use, abusive relationships and a sense of survivor identity. The judge adjourned the case for finalisation. The accused, who had been in custody since March 2018 after extradition from the UK, had also been convicted of burglary in both Ireland and the UK. No new charges were brought for his time in the UK, where he worked at a homeless charity centre. The court considered his prior sentence and the possibility of a lenient sentence. The hearing concluded with the judge setting a date for finalisation. The unnamed 58-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Alex Harris, aged 38, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to two burglary charges and the theft of a laptop from an unlocked ambulance between 26 July and 4 November 2019. The ambulance, parked on Dorset Street Upper, was left with its doors closed but unlocked while a paramedic attended a patient. Harris, who was on bail for a prior burglary, was identified through CCTV footage and DNA evidence. He had 63 previous convictions and a long history of heroin addiction, which he claimed motivated the offences. The court noted his desire to seek residential drug treatment and become a better father. Judge Martin Nolan imposed an 18‑month term for the earliest burglary and a consecutive 18‑month term for the laptop theft, totaling three years of imprisonment.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Shane Cooney, aged 29, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for a series of burglaries that included the Sinn Fein constituency office of TD Aengus O Snodaigh and Senator Maire Devine on 20 March 2018. Cooney and an accomplice stole laptops, mobile phones and other items from the office. He also pleaded guilty to burglaries at Insomnia coffee shop and Tesco Express on South Circular Road on 5 April 2018, and at Puro clothing store on Wicklow Street on 16 December 2018, where he stole nearly €4,000 in cash. The court noted he had 93 prior convictions, had caused damage to the front doors of Tesco and Insomnia, and had a history of drug addiction. Judge Patricia Ryan considered mitigating factors such as early guilty pleas and rehabilitation efforts, and reactivated an 18‑month suspended sentence from a previous aggravated burglary, incorporating it into the three‑year term.
Amir Essalhi, 35, of Burg an Ri Walk, Balgaddy, Clondalkin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to four armed robberies and one attempted robbery committed over a nine‑day period in November 2018. The incidents included robberies at Ebano Hair & Beauty Salon, Ballinteer Shopping Centre, Centra on Drummartin Road, Centra on Ballinteer Road, and an attempted robbery at Spar on Rockville Road, Blackrock. Essalhi admitted possession of weapons ranging from a screwdriver to a knife at each event, with threats of violence but no actual violence. He has 65 prior convictions for robbery, arson, burglary and assault causing harm. Judge Martin Nolan, noting the seriousness of the offences and the mitigating effect of Essalhi's guilty pleas, sentenced him to four‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment. The defence highlighted Essalhi's background, his brother's murder in 2011, his drug‑free status at the time of the offences, his two children and parental support, and his remorse, requesting leniency.
Tara Fay, 46, was sentenced to a fully suspended two‑year imprisonment for burgling St Michael's secondary school on Wellmount Road, Finglas, on 4 October 2016. She admitted trespassing and stealing jumpers, tracksuits, €250 in cash and a mobile phone. Fay told Gardaí she was stealing to pay for drugs. The judge, Patricia Ryan, noted the offence was aggravated by its consequences, though the amount stolen was small, and cited Fay's guilty plea, cooperation and rehabilitation efforts as mitigating factors. She was given a suspended sentence on the condition of keeping the peace and good behaviour for three years. The school's principal, John Barry, said the burglary contributed to a €10,000 rise in the school's insurance costs over two years, a figure insurers attributed to claims made by schools for theft and damage. Dean Kelly BL, Fay's defence lawyer, highlighted her abusive relationship and the murder of her partner.
In a 2019 burglary at a Dublin home, Laurence Connors (28) was caught driving a stolen Audi while four accomplices looted cash and jewellery. Garda Ronan Doyle and Garda Declan Crowley confronted Connors, who drove past the patrol car and then stopped to let the burglars board. Crowley attempted to stop him, but Connors accelerated, dragging Crowley 40 metres and crashing into a parked Fiat Punto. Crowley was injured, requiring stitches, while the Fiat owner was unharmed. Connors was arrested, pleaded guilty to trespass, possession of a stolen car, assaulting a garda and criminal damage, and was sentenced to 20 months in prison, to run consecutively with a 10‑year term for a prior burglary. He has 37 prior convictions and is due for release in 2025. The case highlighted the physical harm to the garda and the financial loss to the homeowner.
In May 2020 a burglar, Dominic Rogers, 21, was caught by a homeowner standing in a bush near the scene of a burglary in Lucan. Rogers had earlier pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a stolen car at an M1 toll plaza on 28 June 2019 and to burglary at Foxpark on 26 September 2019. He had five prior convictions, including drug possession and deception. Gardaí had CCTV showing him driving the stolen car and later found him in a bush holding a torch after a house in Lucan had been broken into. Rogers denied involvement in the burglary but later accepted responsibility. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to one year for the car offence and two years for the burglary, to run consecutively for a total of three years, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions.
A 19‑year‑old teenage burglar, Martin Connors of Cloonmore Park, Tallaght, was arrested again after Gardaí noticed a damp patch on the back of his trousers, indicating he had climbed over a wet wall at a house he had just broken into. Connors had previously pleaded guilty to burglary and possession of a chisel on 11 January 2019, and was already serving a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for a separate burglary and robbery in August 2018. Judge Martin Nolan, hearing the case in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, ordered Connors to serve an additional six months after his current sentence ends. The burglary in question involved an empty house, and no items were taken. Connors' defence lawyer, Sarah Jane O'Callaghan, highlighted his difficult upbringing, drug addiction, and the impact of his parents' prison sentences on his life. The owner of the home declined to give a victim impact statement. The other two burglars involved were not identified.
In a sentencing hearing at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, John Barry, principal of St Michael's secondary school in Finglas, explained that the school's insurance premiums had risen by €10,000 over two years due to claims from schools for theft and criminal damage. Barry cited the case of Tara Fay, a 46‑year‑old from Premier Square, who was convicted of burglary at the school in October 2016. Fay admitted stealing jumpers, tracksuits, €250 in cash and a mobile phone, and was caught on CCTV entering and leaving the building. Barry noted that while the items were small, the financial impact on the school was significant, and he would prefer the increased premiums to be used for teaching supplies. Fay, who has 39 prior theft convictions and 29 traffic offences, pleaded guilty, and her sentence was adjourned to May 19 by Judge Patricia Ryan.
Gareth Hamilton, aged 26, from Drumconnick, County Cavan, was sentenced to three years imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty plea to robbery at an Applegreen Service Station in Inchicore on 28 November 2018. Gardaí identified Hamilton after discovering his DNA and fingerprints on a juice box he consumed inside the premises during the incident. Hamilton entered the service station, requested cigarettes, then produced a box cutter and took €350 from the till before leaving with the money and cigarettes. The court heard Hamilton had previous convictions for attempted robbery, burglary, and possession of stolen property, all committed within a finite period in 2018 and 2019. He was on bail at the time of the offence. Judge Melanie Greally noted Hamilton had secured employment on his father's farm and expressed potential for rehabilitation should he address his drug dependency. The sentence is to run consecutively to a sentence already being served, ending 14 November next.
David Allen, 35, was on bail for a robbery when he knocked 89‑year‑old Nina MacAuley to the ground outside a Dublin hairdresser, bashed her, and stole her handbag. MacAuley suffered head and arm injuries and later discovered her handbag missing. Allen, who has no fixed abode and a history of 25 convictions including robbery, burglary and theft, pleaded guilty to the robbery at Aungier Street on 1 July 2019 and to the armed robbery of a 73‑year‑old taxi driver on 5 February 2019. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to three years for the earlier robbery and five years for the MacAuley robbery, making a total of eight years imprisonment with the final two years suspended on strict conditions. The sentence was imposed with the two terms running consecutively. Allen's victim impact statement was read in court, and he admitted to being "strung out" on heroin during the incidents.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 30 April 2020, the judge refused bail for 21‑year‑old Dominic Rogers, who had been on bail since June 2019. Rogers had been caught with a stolen car and later broke into a home in Lucan. He has five prior convictions, all while on bail, including drug possession and traffic offences. He pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen car at M1 Toll Plaza on 28 June 2019 and to burglary at Foxpark on 26 September 2019. Rogers has taken nine bench warrants between May and July 2019 and failed to comply with bail conditions, notably signing on at Lucan Garda Station 83 times. The judge, citing the likelihood of a custodial sentence and concerns that Rogers might commit further offences, remanded him in custody and set sentencing for 13 May 2020.
William Nolan, 30, was sentenced to eight‑and‑a‑half years' imprisonment for a spree of offences in Tallaght. He pleaded guilty to burglary, criminal damage and endangerment at several sites, including a petrol station, a supermarket, a residential home and a shop. The most serious offence was the crash of a stolen van into the front of a Maxol petrol station, which caused €68,000 in damage and endangered two Gardaí. Nolan also stole a van, a vape machine and other items, and had 127 previous convictions. He was on bail for an earlier burglary when the later offences occurred. The judge described the offences as a "tsunami of criminality" and imposed a sentence of eight years, with the final six months suspended on strict conditions. The one‑year sentence for the March burglary runs consecutively to the eight‑year term.
Sean Keenan, a 24‑year‑old homeless man, pleaded guilty to robbery at Red Cow Luas Stop on 4 November 2017. Garda Christopher Hogan described how Keenan and two other men followed Andrew O'Sullivan, who had just disembarked from a bus carrying a duty‑free bag with two bottles of spirits and 400 cigarettes. The men attacked O'Sullivan, with Keenan punching and kicking him, and the third man striking him in the head with a bottle. They threatened to kill him before leaving. Cigarettes taken from O'Sullivan were found in Keenan's possession and his clothes bore the victim's blood. Keenan had 99 prior convictions, including robbery, attempted robbery, criminal damage, burglary and car theft, and was highly intoxicated during the offence. He had no recollection of the attack. The judge noted the assault was "extremely violent and vicious" and sentenced Keenan to five years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation after release.
Austin Byrne, aged 43, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years' imprisonment for a series of burglaries committed in April 2019. He pleaded guilty to breaking into three Dublin residences: Wintergarden on 10 April, Byrnes Lane on 17 April, and Fitzwilliam Street Lower on 19 April. The offences involved the theft of clothing, foreign currency, an Apple MacBook, an Apple Watch, earrings, chains, anti‑epileptic medicine, a wedding ring, and other jewellery. Byrne had 73 prior convictions, including burglary, aggravated burglary and robbery. The judge, Melanie Greally, noted that Byrne's primary motive appeared to be raising money for drugs, and that his previous convictions and the value of the stolen items aggravated the case. She gave credit for his guilty pleas and engagement with addiction services, and suspended the final 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions.
James Cash Wall, a 27‑year‑old from Wicklow, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for burglary and trespassing after he gate‑crashed a 21st birthday party at Aine Kenny's home on Stillorgan Road, south Dublin. The homeowner confronted him on the stairs, and when he claimed to be "with Jason" she realised he was lying and called for security. Private security and Garda Patrick Collins were present. Wall tried to flee, tripped, and dropped stolen jewellery. A crowd at the party blocked his escape and demanded he empty his pockets. He was arrested, found very drunk and initially unfit for interview. Wall pleaded guilty to the December 30 offence. He has 79 prior convictions, including car theft, public order offences and nine burglaries. The judge, Martin Nolan, noted that Wall was drunk but still attempted to steal, and the sentence was back‑dated to December when he entered custody.
In March 2020 the High Court dismissed a judicial review challenge brought by David Prescott, a 35‑year‑old English national, who had been remanded in custody after being charged with three counts of criminal damage and one count of burglary in connection with a house fire at the Beechmount Estate, Navan, on St Stephen's Day. Prescott had been released on bail on 16 January, but was re‑arrested for breaching bail conditions and remanded again at Cloverhill Prison. He applied for bail on 27 February, but the District Court judge ruled that without a change in his circumstances the application could not be considered. Prescott sought to quash the decision and declare that a change of circumstances was not required after a bail revocation.
Helen Jones, aged 52, of Cahergal Avenue, Mayfield, Cork, is charged with aggravated burglary and the murder of her brother Paul Jones, aged 55, at his Bandon Road home on 4 September last year. She was denied bail by the High Court after objections from Gardaí. Her brother Liam Jones, who travelled from Cork to Dublin despite ill health, testified that he feared his sister would "come after me next" and that she had threatened to petrol‑bomb his girlfriend's house – allegations she denied. Helen Jones, who has emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, said she had not seen Liam for three and a half years and would have no contact if released. The judge, Ms Justice Mary Rose Gearty, expressed sympathy for her medical conditions but found no bail conditions could assure safety. The case remains at the High Court stage, with a book of evidence to be served next week.
David Prescott, 35, was granted High Court bail after a prior bail revocation for failing to comply with conditions related to a house fire in Navan. He faces one burglary charge and three criminal damage charges at the Beechmount estate. The court noted he did not respond to the damage charges but said "I don't agree" to the burglary charge. His earlier bail, granted on 16 January, was revoked two weeks later because he did not keep his mobile phone on at all times, a condition the Gardaí could not verify. Justice Mary Rose Gearty ordered his release on a €1,000 bond, requiring him to reside at an address on Gardiner Street, Dublin, keep his phone on, sign in daily, and remain out of Meath except for court appearances. The case was one of 35 bail applications heard that day.
Romeo Stanescu, a 30‑year‑old Romanian, pleaded guilty to burglary at The Playwright pub in Kilkenny on 11 June 2018, stealing €3,500 in banknotes. He was originally sentenced to three years' imprisonment by Judge Terence O'Sullivan on 29 October 2019. On appeal, the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, reduced his term to two years. Edwards noted that Stanescu entered the pub shortly after opening, claimed he was looking for coffee, and later sought a toilet, leaving the premises after taking money from a cupboard. CCTV captured him removing bundles of cash and attempting to access a safe. Edwards described the offence as an opportunistic theft with limited premeditation, and the loss did not threaten the business. The final sentence was two years' imprisonment, with the last 18 months suspended.
David Clail, aged 28, pleaded guilty to armed burglary, criminal damage and threatening to kill Sharon Murphy after breaking into her Kinsealy home on 20 September 2016. He entered the house, smashed furniture, tore out a TV, smashed a mirror, and threatened to kill Murphy, her family and her dog. He also threatened to kill her grandmother and called his relatives. Murphy called 999, hid her phone, and tried to calm him. Gardaí found Clail with a flick‑knife and blood on his hands. He admitted he had no reason for the attack, saying he had woken up in a "black mood" and "blanked out". The court noted his poly‑substance abuse and mental health issues. Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced him to five years and seven months in prison, with a headline sentence of seven and a half years, after a delay and an early guilty plea.
Brian O'Connor, 25, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for burglary at McGrath's Pub in Drumcondra on February 28, 2019. The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge. Prosecution evidence indicated O'Connor entered the premises by kicking through ceiling boards after climbing in through the roof. He was discovered hiding in the attic by gardaí, who had been alerted by a carpenter who saw him looking out a window. O'Connor was arrested but was too intoxicated to be interviewed initially and made no admissions when later questioned. Judge Melanie Greally noted that O'Connor caused substantial damage to the roof and ceiling and intended to steal alcohol and cash. She also acknowledged his history of 103 previous convictions. In mitigation, defense counsel highlighted O'Connor's chaotic childhood, a suicide attempt as a teenager, and his cooperation during arrest despite intoxication. The court sentenced O'Connor to three years in prison, suspending the final nine months on strict conditions.
Martin Lumsden, 35, with 110 prior convictions, was arrested after climbing over the railings of Gaelscoil Cholmcille in Coolock and stealing €880.78 from Trócaire boxes. Garda Finbarr Fleming found a heavy bag with coins and evidence of a smashed side window and rummaged principal's office. Lumsden pleaded guilty to burglary of the school on 18 April 2018 and to robbery and possession of a firearm at Mace shop on 7 May 2018, where he stole about €500 from two tills and used a gun. The firearm and money were not recovered. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to a two‑year term for burglary and a consecutive five‑and‑a‑half‑year prison term for armed robbery, suspending all sentences for seven years on the condition of remaining drug‑free, keeping the peace and engaging with the Peter McVerry Trust. John Finn, 32, was also convicted of the burglary; he received a separate sentence at a prior hearing.
In February 2014, 16‑year‑old Michael Cawley, with two other men, attempted to force entry into a home on Brewery Road, Stillorgan, Dublin. While the couple inside held their bodies against the door, Cawley used a screwdriver to try to jimmy the lock, but the men failed and left after the door was destroyed. Later that evening, Cawley forced open a window in an empty house on Wilson Road, Mount Merrion, and stole €5,000 worth of property, including a PlayStation console, 600 cigarettes, and a family BMW. The car was later found near his home in Ballycullen. Cawley fled to the UK, where he was charged with burglary in 2016, and returned to Ireland, where he pleaded guilty to attempted burglary and burglary at the Stillorgan house.
A man named Declan Murphy, from North Frederick Street, Dublin, is on trial for his alleged participation in a burglary at a Howth home. The burglary involved a woman and her eight‑year‑old daughter who were tied up with cable ties and held in a bathroom while the men searched the house for cash and jewellery. The perpetrators fled in a 2007 Honda CR‑V that was later abandoned with a flat tyre in Howth village. Prosecutor Dominic McGinn argued that Murphy was one of two or three men who carried out the burglary, invoking the joint enterprise doctrine to hold him liable for all acts committed during the crime, even if he did not personally tie the victims or take the loot. Declan Murphy pleaded not guilty.
Stephen Byrne, 46, of Tallaght, was jailed for 18 months after pleading guilty to burglary at Pandora Jewellers on 3 March 2019. Garda James O'Donnell reported that a staff member saw Byrne stooped over a safe in the back office, claiming he was looking for tissues. Byrne denied this and said he had taken tablets and blacked out. No items were taken. Byrne has 108 prior convictions, including 53 burglaries, 16 thefts and two robberies. He has a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia and a long history of drug addiction. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final year on strict conditions, including compliance with his probation officer and mental health team. The sentence aimed to break his cycle of offending.
Michael Fagan, 48, was jailed for two years after a bench warrant was issued for a 2010 burglary of McCormack Jewellers, Grafton Street, where jewellery worth €64,000 was taken. Fagan had lived in the same area and signed on weekly at his local post office, giving gardai his brother's name when stopped. He had 62 convictions before 2012 and had been off the radar since a bench warrant was executed in December 2012. Garda Aidan Larkin presented CCTV footage from Crimecall and evidence that Fagan had sold the jewellery for €3,000 to a third party. Fagan pleaded guilty, claimed he had overcome drug addiction, and was described by his lawyer as a "desperate man" who had been clean for eight years. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a four‑year sentence with the final two years suspended, noting the damage to the shop and the rapid dissipation of the stolen goods.
In 2011 Gerard Kane, aged 43, broke into a woman's home and raped her twice. He had been on bail for a separate burglary of a Fianna Fáil minister's office. In November 2012 he pleaded guilty to the rape and was sentenced to twelve years with three years suspended. Released in August 2018, he committed two burglaries in January 2019, for which he received a three‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence with the final year suspended. The court activated one year of the suspended portion of the 2012 sentence, crediting time already served, and ordered it to run consecutively with the 2019 sentence. Kane's defence cited mental health issues, homelessness, lack of support and self‑medication as factors contributing to his reoffending. The court noted the victim's severe trauma and the defendant's chaotic background. The case remains at the sentencing stage.
In a north Dublin retail park, a Starbucks coffee shop was forced to close after a series of break‑ins. The court heard that the shop could not renew its insurance because of multiple robbery and burglary incidents. The business shut down in July. Earlier, Jason Brady, 34, used a claw hammer to break into the shop, causing over €1,300 of damage. Brady pleaded guilty to burglary of the Starbucks and of the adjoining "Star Buys" discount shop on the night of 22 June 2019, and admitted criminal damage and possession of a claw hammer. He was not a suspect in other raids. Brady's lawyers said he had smoked crack cocaine before the burglaries and that he was committing crimes to feed an "out of control" drug habit. CCTV footage showed him using a crowbar to try to open a staff toilet and later pulling the disabled toilet alarm off the wall.
In a High Court hearing on 21 January 2020, Mr Justice Alexander Owens ruled that a Volkswagen Passat and a diamond‑encrusted Rolex watch owned by a Kildare couple were purchased with proceeds of crime. Jerry Knee and Ann‑Marie Cassidy, both 30 and from Athy, represented themselves after their barrister, Desmond Hayes, withdrew following the court's rejection of their legal aid application. The items were seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) on 29 May 2018 and were handed to the CAB's chief legal officer. Mr Knee has prior convictions for burglary and trespassing; Ms Cassidy has none. CAB, represented by David Dodd BL, argued that the couple's financial evidence—cash lodgements totalling €43,000 and a €5,000 lodgement—was inconsistent with the luxury items. The court found the couple's affidavits, which claimed the car was bought from savings and welfare payments, insufficient to prove legitimate funding, and therefore concluded the items were proceeds of crime.
James Byrne, 45, of Ballymun, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of drugs for sale or supply and to recklessly discharging a firearm at his neighbour's address on 9 December 2017. Gardaí were called after Byrne reported a gunshot wound to his leg. He admitted he had shot himself accidentally while attempting to hide a gun he had bought that day, intending to kill himself. The gun discharged when he was holding the trigger, injuring his leg. A search of his home uncovered a semi‑automatic Makarov pistol in a garden shed and cannabis resin worth €18,000, which Byrne claimed he held to pay a drug debt. He had prior convictions for drug possession, burglary and traffic offences. The judge, citing Byrne's guilty plea, cooperation and family responsibilities, imposed an 18‑month custodial sentence for the drug charge, noting that a suspended sentence would have been appropriate if only the firearms offence had been considered.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 24‑year‑old Bruno De Melo pleaded guilty to two robberies. On 10 June 2019 he and an accomplice entered Mr Syed Shah's phone shop on Phibsboro Road, threatened him with a knife, and stole 53 mobile phones, iPads and tablets worth €14,300. Mr Shah, who was not insured, described the raid as a "last day of my life" and said the loss shattered his future plans. Two weeks earlier, on 29 May 2019, De Melo had robbed a €6,500 Rolex Submariner from Mr David O'Gorman at a Glasnevin service station, demanding the watch with a knife. The watch was never recovered. Judge Elma Sheahan remanded De Melo in custody and adjourned sentencing to 3 February 2020. The court heard that De Melo had no prior Irish convictions but had UK convictions for robbery, burglary and false representations.
Gerard Kane, 43, a convicted rapist and serial burglar, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment in December 2019 for two break‑ins committed after his release in August 2018. Kane had previously received a 12‑year sentence in 2012 for raping a woman after breaking into her home, with the final three years suspended. He was released on bail for burglary at the constituency office of former Fianna Fáil Minister Barry Andrews. In the 2019 case, Kane pleaded guilty to burglary at Dun Laoghaire Further Education Institute, burglary at Silchester Crescent, Glenageary, and handling stolen property. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to three and a half years, suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions, including compliance with Probation Service directions for 12 months post‑release. The court noted Kane's psychological problems but also his awareness of right and wrong.
In a 2018 incident on Phibsborough Road, 28‑year‑old Gary Gibson attempted to steal a bicycle and, when confronted by retired RTÉ broadcaster Cathal Mac Coille, struck him on the head with a bolt cutter. Gibson fled, jumping into a canal to evade capture, and was later apprehended after a ten‑minute standoff. He pleaded guilty to assault and attempted theft, and to possession of a Stanley knife. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced him to two and a half years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended. Gibson's prior convictions include burglary, firearms offences and public order matters. The assault left Mac Coille with a lump and bruise on his forehead, forcing a three‑week break from a programme about the Pope's visit and a €125 expense for new bicycle wheels and a lock. The case highlighted the impact of the assault on Mac Coille's broadcasting work.
In a tragic incident on 3 January 2018, 20‑year‑old Egyptian Mohamed Morei, who had no fixed abode, stabbed 24‑year‑old Japanese Yosuke Sasaki to death on Long Avenue, Dundalk. Morei, suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, also attacked Dylan Grehan and Cian Murphy, and caused criminal damage to a car and burglary at Long Avenue. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to all charges. The trial, opened by Sean Gillane SC, presented psychiatric evidence that Morei was severely unwell, with disordered thoughts, and was not aware of the wrongfulness of his actions. Morei has been committed to the Central Mental Hospital since the charge. The case is pending before the Central Criminal Court, with the jury hearing scheduled for the following day.
Alan Freeman, aged 38, was convicted of violently breaking into the Garvey family home in Pallasgreen, Co. Limerick, on 16 April 2012, where he and two other men used a sawn‑off shotgun, a sledgehammer and a baseball bat. The gang restrained the occupants, threatened Gerard Garvey and his 14‑year‑old daughter, and took cash before fleeing. Freeman, along with Patrick Roche (54) and Philip Roche (25), was also found guilty of a separate burglary at the Creed home. Judge John Hannan sentenced Freeman to 14 years, with the final three years suspended. On 10 December 2019 the Court of Appeal quashed Freeman's conviction and ordered a retrial, while the convictions of the Roche men were upheld. The appeal was based on the Court's view that evidence linking Freeman to an alleged burglary at another home should have led to a separate trial, as the evidence was deemed insufficient and potentially prejudicial.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 35‑year‑old Robert Hedderman was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment for the 2016 burglary of a single mother's home in Kinsealy. Hedderman broke into the house on Christmas Day, ripped furniture, placed an Xbox and a DVD player in a sink full of water, urinated throughout the premises and scattered ash. He also left the house covered in urine and caused significant damage, amounting to many thousands of euros. The victim, who was renting the house with her children, was left homeless for a month and lost numerous personal items. Hedderman pleaded guilty to one count of burglary, possession of cannabis and possession of cannabis for sale or supply. He has 47 prior convictions, including burglaries, theft and knife possession. The judge described his actions as gratuitous and without any earthly reason. The case was prosecuted by Garda Elva Duffy BL and defended by Emer Ni Chuagain BL.
Robert McCabe, aged 48, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to seven burglaries committed between 11 November and 21 December 2018, targeting six commercial premises, including a restaurant twice. He admitted stealing €2,170, a computer tablet, and other items, and was found with burglary tools and cash. McCabe's defence counsel, Emmet Nolan, described him as a "gentleman burglar" with a lifelong heroin addiction that motivated the offences. Judge Martin Nolan noted McCabe's extensive criminal record of 123 convictions, 54 for burglary, and his inability to stop. He accepted McCabe's guilty pleas, cooperation, and efforts to leave heroin, and sentenced him to four and a half years' imprisonment. The court highlighted that McCabe's primary motive was to obtain funds for heroin. The judge also acknowledged the defendant's ongoing methadone programme and employment since remand.
A 41‑year‑old serial burglar, Steffan Pavlov, was sentenced to 14 months in jail for a February 20 theft of two Acer tablets from the kitchen of Dublin's Shelbourne hotel. The tablets, worth €500, were taken by Pavlov, who had previously entered the hotel around 8 pm and removed them from a wall in the kitchen store room before anyone noticed. CCTV footage captured the incident, leading to Pavlov's arrest at his home after he had initially tried to block his front door with a wardrobe. Pavlov pleaded guilty to one count of trespass and theft and has 86 prior convictions, mainly for burglary, theft and handling stolen property. Judge Martin Nolan, who questioned whether Pavlov was a member of the "burglar party," noted the high number of his previous convictions and described the burglary as "pretty inoffensive." The sentence was back‑dated to March, when Pavlov first entered custody.
Joseph Heffernan, aged 43, pleaded guilty to theft and making a false statement to Gardaí after staging a burglary at Body & Soul Salon in Rathmines on 25 July 2019. He had stolen €6,670 and £40 from the lockers of two employees while his then‑partner, the salon owner, was away. He later admitted to taking money from the salon over several months to repay the salon. He returned most of the stolen money and paid €1,120 in court to cover the remaining balance. Judge Patricia Ryan, noting the breach of trust and the amount involved, imposed a two‑year imprisonment sentence, suspended in its entirety on strict conditions, and ordered 90 hours of community service within 12 months. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge highlighted Heffernan's guilty plea, admissions, good employment record and gambling addiction as mitigating factors.
Martin Connors, 18, was caught on CCTV wearing flip‑flops and white socks while breaking into a family home on Versoy Avenue, Citywest. He later joined a robbery of a pizza delivery man that night. After fleeing the robbery in a Fiat Punto, his flip‑flops were found in the getaway car. Connors pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary and robbery, with 42 prior convictions. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to five years, suspending the final 18 months on probation. The judge noted the burglary was swift and frightening for the family, and that Connors had learning challenges and a desire to reform. The case involved a group that used a golf club to break in, and the pizza delivery man was threatened and robbed before the car crashed into hedging. Connors was arrested and identified as Micheal McDonagh, 12, during the pursuit. The prosecution and defence highlighted Connors' background and his wish to change.
A man who shoved and pushed a 67-year-old woman around her home while demanding money has been sentenced to six years in total for this incident, an earlier robbery, and for breaking into 13 cars. Lee Byrne (21) of Termon Court, Poppintree, Ballymun Dublin pleaded guilty to burglary and theft, assault causing harm and false imprisonment of the woman at her home in Drumcondra on October 9, 2018. He also pleaded guilty to criminal damage of various vehicles on St Margaret's Road in Finglas on April 1, 2018, and to attempted robbery at Spar on Upper O'Connell Street on September 9, 2018. Byrne had 51 previous convictions, 24 of which were committed as a child. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Byrne to an 18-month term in June this year for the criminal damage charges, which was backdated to when he was first remanded in custody, resulting in a release date in December this year. Today, Judge Greally sentenced Byrne to an additional four and a half years, which is to run consecutive to the 18-month term. She suspended the final 12 months of this sentence, taking into account Byrne's youth, extreme addiction, and genuine remorse. The burglary of the woman's home was deemed the more serious offence due to the violation of her home and the violence inflicted upon her. The matter was adjourned for the purpose of this summary.
Michael Ward, 30, was jailed for two years after a drunken burglary of Mary's Bar on Wicklow Street. He entered the unoccupied bar early on November 5, broke three cash registers but found no money, and stole bottles of vodka, whiskey, gin, rum and three boxes of salt sachets. CCTV footage identified him; he did not conceal his face or wear gloves. Ward pleaded guilty and had 145 prior convictions, including theft, burglary and criminal damage. The court noted his homelessness, drug and alcohol addiction, and a difficult childhood, as well as his remorse. Judge Melanie Greally described the offence as opportunistic and carried out under the influence of alcohol, and said the damage disrupted business operations. She imposed a three‑year sentence, suspending the final 12 months on conditions, and the effective custodial term is two years.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, Thomas Locke, 26, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and false imprisonment after breaking into a woman's apartment on 31 October 2018. Locke, who was on bail for a prior offence, entered the bedroom with a foot‑long knife, told the woman to leave the bed, and claimed he would not harm her. He smoked in her kitchen, asked about money, and together they went to a petrol station where the woman withdrew €300 for him. Locke threatened to "cut her" if she told anyone. He was identified through CCTV and fingerprints on the fridge. Locke had 68 prior convictions and was already in custody since 26 November. The judge, citing his guilty plea, remorse, addiction, and past record, sentenced him to five years imprisonment, crediting time already served. The sentence is to commence after the completion of his earlier 12‑month term.