Burglar who stole €30k jewellery jailed

A prisoner released after a long sentence for drug- dealing soon carried out a burglary where he stole €30,000 worth of jewellery, and yesterday he was sent back to prison to start another sentence of four years.

Wayne McNamara, of Beechtree Ave, Shanakiel, Cork, appeared at Cork Circuit Criminal Court where Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin jailed him for six years yesterday with the last two years suspended.

He admitted burglary and the theft of jewellery at Westpoint, Shanakiel, being in possession of heroin, refusing to comply with a search by Detective Garda Michael Dolan at Gurranabraher station, and having no insurance at Hollyhill.

Detective Garda Alan Johnston outlined evidence of the most serious offence — the burglary. He said the house was completely ransacked and the large amount of jewellery included many items of high monetary and sentimental value.

McNamara, aged 36, made no admissions to gardaí and did not co-operate in any attempt to get the jewellery back for the owners.

Det Garda Johnston said the defendant used a hurley to smash his way into the house and that CCTV from the surrounding area helped to link him to the crime.

Judge Ó Donnabháin noted that McNamara was only released from prison a short time earlier, after serving a long sentence for drug-dealing, when he carried out this burglary.

Det Garda Johnston said the owners did not make a victim impact statement but expressed through him their upset about the fact that items of sentimental value will not be recovered, their home was damaged, and the thought that someone had been in their home without their permission.