Teenager pleads guilty to role in aggravated burglary

A 15-year-old boy pleaded guilty yesterday to his part in an aggravated burglary where a householder was ordered to strip naked as a kettle of boiling water was thrown at him.

Judge Patrick J Moran said the defendant could not be named as he was a juvenile. The teenager was arraigned at Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.

He pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary while armed with a knife and assault causing harm to the 36-year-old householder.

The crime was committed on Dec 16, 2012 at Cedar Row, Rope Walk, Blackrock, Cork.

Defence barrister Elizabeth O’Connell asked for sentencing to be adjourned so that a probation report could be prepared and to allow time for a report from the juvenile detention centre where he is held.

Sentencing was adjourned until May 14. No details of the crime were given yesterday but the alleged facts of the case were given recently at Cork District Court where the judge refused jurisdiction to deal with it because of its seriousness.

Det Sgt Malachy White testified that the house-holder was asleep in bed when he woke at 1.30am in the morning to find two males standing over him. “One of them was holding two knives, the other was holding a brush. The injured party alleges he was threatened and struck over the head several times by the male with the brush.

“Money was demanded of him. He was told to strip naked. A kettle of water was boiled in the kitchen and it is alleged that the defendant threw the water over him.”