Wicklow youth sentenced for 'cowardly' burglarly of elderly man

A Wicklow youth who restrained a 70-year-old man in an armchair at an old folks complex while his accomplice searched the man’s flat for cash to steal was given a two-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

The now 17-year-old youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to the burglary and theft on September 17, 2007 at Ballybough Court.

The then 15-year-old put his hand over the elderly man’s mouth to stop him shouting while his older relative cut the man’s wrists as he tried to pull bracelets off his arms. The pair made off with €400 cash. His accomplice was given a five year sentence last year.

Garda Liam Donaghue told Mr Roughan Banim BL, prosecuting, that the youth and his accomplice entered the man’s flat which was part of an old folks complex. The elderly man, who suffers from arthritis and can only walk with crutches, was restrained by the youth while the older man searched his pockets and cupboards.

Gda Donaghue said the youth and his accomplice were identified on CCTV and later arrested.

He agreed with defence counsel, Ms Sandra Frayne BL, that the youth was under the influence of his older relative who had extensive previous convictions and a drug addiction. The co-accused told gardaí he was sorry for getting the boy involved in the offence.

Judge Katherine Delahunt said it was “a cowardly and awful crime” but as he had re-acted well with The Probation Service she decided not to give the youth a custodial sentence.