Career criminal jailed for spate of burglaries

A career criminal who confessed to a series of recent burglaries in the Moneygourney area was jailed for 13 months yesterday.

Michael Foley, aged 40, came before Cork District Court yesterday with 123 previous convictions and 55 of them were for burglaries committed over 20 years.

Foley, with addresses at 2, Willsbrook, Broadale, Douglas, and 104 Ardbhaile, Mayfield, Cork, pleaded guilty to seven charges yesterday.

He admitted burgling a house at Forthill, Moneygourney, Co Cork, where he stole a handbag containing €40 in cash on January 19.

Inspector Bill Duane, who outlined the background, said Foley entered another house at Moneygourney through a rear patio door on January 30 and stole the keys of a 2010-registered Mini car which was driven away from the house. It was later recovered undamaged.

On the same day he carried out a burglary at the Fernhill golf club in Carrigaline and stole €500 from a till.

Inspector Bill Duane said the accused had been involved in criminal activity going back to 1991. “He is a career criminal, predominantly for burglaries,” the inspector said.

Judge Leo Malone imposed a number of sentences totalling 13 months on Foley yesterday.