Man who stole women’s underwear ‘broke hat in jealousy’

A 61-year-old man with a fetish who broke into women’s homes to steal their underwear, broke one victim’s hat in a jealous rage because he didn’t own one like it himself, a court has heard.

Gerard Lee, a native of Limerick, with an address at 68 Killeen Woods, Tralee, Co Kerry, pleaded guilty at the last moment before Galway District Court this week to burglary at a house in Forster Court, Galway, on the night of August 1 last year. Lee also pleaded guilty to burglary at a house in The Elms, Forster St, on the night of July 30/31, and to handling a woman’s purse knowing it was stolen on the same night.

Inspector Mick Dwyer said Lee was caught in the house Forster Court house by a tenant and was held there until gardaí arrived.