Teen who burgled elderly couple's home is detained

A teenage boy, who traumatised a couple in their eighties when he broke into their home, has been detained for six months by Judge Catherine Murphy at the Dublin Children’s Court.

The 17-year-old repeat offender, who cannot be named because he is a juvenile, had been involved in 28 crimes, for burglaries, possession of knives, theft, handling stolen goods and motoring violations, which happened over the last two and a half years.

Judge Murphy today finalised the cases, which had involved 17 prosecuting gardaí, by imposing a six-month detention term in St Patrick’s Institution.

The Tallaght teen’s spate of offences started in early 2004 when he was aged 14. None of his family members were in court to support him as he was sentenced.

On August 7 last, he burgled a house in Bray; on April 24 and also on May 19 last, he skipped court.

On October 10, 2005, at Kiltalown View in Tallaght, the teen was charged with possession of a stanley knife as an offensive weapon, he also had a stolen cash dispenser, three screwdrivers for use in connection with a theft and stolen money to the sum of €69 and a stolen jacket. He skipped court on August 9, 2005.

Over a four week period in from mid June to mid July 2005 he took part in three house burglaries in Roundwood Co. Wicklow.

On February 17, 2005, he was found on Blessington Road, Dublin, in possession of a hunting knife; on May 29, 2005 he was caught handling stolen mobile phone

On December 4, 2004, he stole €80 from a shop in the Square Shopping Centre in Tallaght. He also stole clothing worth €77 from another clothes shop there on the same date.

In Newcastle Co. Dublin, on November 24, 2004: he trespassed in a house and stole jewellery. He burgled another house in Newcastle on the same day and stole €250 and jewellery.

He was caught driving illegally on October 28, 2004; on April 21, 2004, he burgled another house.

On March 25, 2004, when he was aged 14, he burgled the elderly couple’s home in Heathervue, Greystones, Co. Wicklow.

The court heard that the couple, who were in the their eighties, had their home broken into a number of times previously and after the teen burgled them they were left “traumatised".