Burglars target Cork suburbs: Garda

Houses in Douglas and Togher in Cork are being targeted by burglars, a garda said yesterday as a Dubliner pleaded guilty to having house-breaking equipment.

Defence solicitor Donal Daly objected to this general observation by Insp Bill Duane at Cork District Court about burglaries in these southside suburbs.

Insp Duane said it would not be fair not to bring this issue to the attention of the court when sentencing John Cawley, originally from City West, Dublin, and now living at 418 Harold’s Cross Rd, Dublin.

Cawley ran from gardaí on Well Rd, Douglas, at lunchtime on Sept 4. Garda Eoin O’Toole saw him acting suspiciously in the area. Cawley was wearing gloves and carrying a screwdriver at the time. He discarded them as he ran from Garda O’Toole. He was arrested after a short chase.

At Cork District Court on Wednesday, he was refused bail.

Cawley pleaded guilty to the charge and was given a six-month suspended jail sentence yesterday.

Judge Leo Malone made staying out of Cork City for two years a condition of Cawley’s bail. The 20-year-old defendant, who had convictions for road traffic act offences, pleaded guilty to have a screwdriver and gloves with the intention that it would be used in connection with a burglary.

Mr Daly objected to Insp Duane’s comments about the targeting of Togher and Douglas. “I don’t know what that has to do with Mr Cawley,” said Mr Daly.

He said Cawley had no convictions related to burglaries or anything like that and was in the company of an older person at the time of the offence on Tuesday.