Teen threw boiling water at naked man during burglary

A 15-year-old who ordered a householder to strip naked as a kettle of boiling water was thrown at him during a burglary was sentenced to three years’ detention with the last year suspended for what the judge described as a terrifying and humiliating crime.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin upheld an order yesterday that the juvenile could be identified.

Luke Taylor, aged 16, of Cherry Lawn, Blackrock, Cork, was before Cork Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing for the aggravated burglary while armed with a knife, and assault causing harm to the 36-year-old householder. He was 15 at the time.

His accomplice, Graham Coleman, aged 22, of 13 Loughmahon Avenue, Mahon, Cork, was jailed for three years also, but he had the last 18 months of his sentence suspended.

The victim woke to find the teenagers standing over him demanding money. He was ordered to strip naked in his room and kneel in the corner, which he did as they had a knife and a sweeping brush. He was struck several times with the brush.

“They decided among themselves to boil a kettle of water and scald him,” said the judge.

The victim managed to get out a window of his home in Blackrock, Cork, on Dec 16, 2012.

Det Garda Radley said the man ran naked from his home until he got to Blackrock village at 1.30am when people came to his assistance and called the gardaí.

Taylor said yesterday: “I am sorry to the victim, what I done to him and stuff, it wasn’t right.”