Raiders ‘helped’ by hotel boss

A HOTEL manager gave inside information to burglars to steal over €27,000 from the hotel safe.

Seamus Coone of Summer Lee House apartments, Tivoli Cork, was manager of Commodore Hotel, Cobh, Co Cork, at the time and during a drinking session, passed on information to another man about where the keys to the hotel safe were kept.

Arising out of that he pleaded guilty to burglary at the hotel on August 2, 2009, although the physical burglary was carried out by others.

Judge Patrick J Moran said: “It is a very serious offence, he was in a position of trust. To suffer the loss of €27,000 must be an appalling blow to the Commodore Hotel.”

Defence barrister John Devlin said Coone had no previous convictions but admitted that he gave this information to another man.

Coone, 30, said yesterday he was now training as a salesman and would endeavour to do the best he could to pay compensation.

“This is a man who committed a stupid act and knows it was a serious breach of trust. Mr Coone appears to be doing well at what he is doing and there appears to be an opportunity to make recompense,” Mr Devlin suggested.

Judge Moran said Coone would have to make some effort at compensation.

He agreed to adjourn sentencing for a year to give the defendant a chance to raise money.