Drug addict awaits sentence in burglary case

A 28-year-old heroin addict who committed a spate of burglaries and car theft across south Dublin, threatened a woman with a sword during a robbery and was found with a sawn off shotgun will be sentenced later by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Paul Hogan, of Dunamore Crescent, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to seven burglaries, seven car thefts and one count of handling stolen property in the Rathfarnham, Knocklyon and Ballycullen areas on dates between July 2005 and May 2006.

He further admitted a robbery at a Statoil on Ballyboden Road, Rathfarnham in May 2006 and possession of a sawn off shotgun and 16 cartridges at his home on May 13, 2006.

Detective Garda David Connolly told John Quirke BL, prosecuting, that Hogan repeatedly broke into homes in the middle of the night, removed car keys and took vehicles parked outside.

He also stole cash and valuables such as phones, cameras and Playstations. Residents would wake to find their homes burgled and cars gone.

Garda Nula Burke told Judge Katherine Delahunt that Hogan entered a petrol station as it was closing and demanded money as he waved a sword at a female member of staff. The terrified woman gave him €170 from one till and was unable to open a second till so handed it over entirely.

Gda Burke said gardaí searched Hogan’s home and found a double barrelled sawn off shotgun, 16 cartridges, a garda radio scanner, the sword used in the earlier robbery and two balaclavas.

The father of three has 53 previous convictions for crimes such as criminal damage, theft, robbery, road traffic and public order offences.

Remy Farrell BL, defending, said his client had been "entirely out of control" and had possession of a gun as he believed his life had been threatened. He had been a heroin addict since the age of 19 and was currently serving a prison sentence.

Judge Delahunt considered drug tests conducted on Hogan in prison had been negative and adjourned sentence to allow a Probation Service report to be complied.