Teenage burglars snared by gardaí

Two teenage brothers out lamping rabbits ended up being caught in the spotlight of Cork District Court yesterday.

On Jul 8, 2012, the pair were out around the fields in Kilcully, Co Cork, at two o’clock in the morning when calamity struck.

Hoping to dazzle a few rabbits and set their dog on the startled animals, the battery of their powerful lamp ran out.

The battery was not the only thing that ran out; so did their pet bitch that they had brought along for the hunt.

Then the two brothers — aged 17 and 14 at the time — decided to do a spot of burgling.

They got into their van and drove to the nearest house and made for the shed.

They cut the lock and grabbed the battery from a tractor lawnmower hoping that they would be able to power up their lamp with the stolen battery.

The gardaí stopped the boys in the van and found the stolen battery.

Yesterday at Cork District Court the teenagers pleaded guilty to burglary charges. They had no previous convictions.

Emmet Boyle, defence solicitor, presented a picture of desperate huntsmen rather than heartless burglars.

“Their bitch got away. There was no hope of finding this particular dog without the lamp. They went in and stole one thing, and one thing only, they stole the battery and left everything else in the shed alone,” Mr Boyle said.

Judge Con O’Leary put the matter back for six weeks to allow time for probation reports to be prepared on the two brothers.

As for the status of the missing dog, no light was shed on that in court.