€3,000 snatched by man who burgled same house four times

THE same house was burgled four times in one year with a total of approximately €3,000 being snatched, and yesterday a man pleaded guilty to carrying out the four thefts.

The house at Ard na Gréine in Cork city was burgled in the absence of the owners twice in June 2010 and again in April and June 2011. It was only with the assistance of CCTV that the culprit was identified as Paul Sheehan of 46 Killala Gardens, Knocknaheeny, Cork.

Defence solicitor Frank Buttimer said yesterday that there was a connection between Sheehan and the owners of the house. The house belonged to a brother of the defendant’s girlfriend. Sheehan got his hands on a key, which he used to let himself in on the four occasions when the owners were away.

Inspector Mary King said cash sums were taken during each burglary amounting to a total of almost €3,000, although the total amount of the loss was disputed. The amount of compensation paid is also disputed between the injured party and the defendant, but it is more or less than €1,500.

Judge Aingil Ní Chondúin said further compensation would have to be paid.

The case was put back for a probation report and the judge indicated that she had a 150-hour community service order instead of three months in prison in mind for Sheehan. That will cover the four burglaries at the house and a fifth count related the burglary of a second house on one occasion at Hollywood Estate in Cork, where he stole a Nintendo Wii and a laptop.