Cork teen who stole iPhone and refused to reveal new PIN code remanded in custody

Anthony Butler, 18,  of 5 Churchfield Terrace East, Churchfield, Cork, robbed an iPhone 12 from another youth and when the phone was tracked to the culprit’s home he refused to tell gardaí the new PIN number he had put in the phone

The judge refused to go any further with sentencing and remanded the teenager in custody until September 28 for the password to the phone to be given to gardaí. File picture

A teenager robbed an iPhone 12 from another youth and when the phone was tracked to the culprit’s home he refused to tell gardaí the new PIN number he had put in the phone.

Anthony Butler, 18, of 5 Churchfield Terrace East, Churchfield, Cork, faces sentencing for robbery at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Detective Garda James Bugler gave evidence of the background to the violent robbery and concluded by saying Butler changed the access code for the phone and refused to tell gardaí what it was.

Det Garda Bugler said that in this way the phone was available to the owner but presently useless to him.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin noted the defendant was looking for a probation report in advance of sentence.

The judge said, “The phone is inoperable because this lad won’t give the password. It is very had to be bleating to me about a probation report when you won’t give back the code.

“I want the password and I want it now.” 

The judge then refused to go any further with sentencing and remanded the teenager in custody until September 28 for the password to the phone to be given to gardaí.

Background to the incident

Det Gda Bugler said the background to the incident was that the injured party went to meet a friend at an area at the back of CIT, known as Murphy’s farm at Curraheen, and arrived to find a number of young people drinking and listening to music.

The injured party did not know everyone who was there. The defendant asked to borrow his Apple iPhone 12 and he gave it to him. Over the following hour, the owner looked for it back but became fearful because of threats made to him. The injured party was forced to hand over a second phone he had on him also.

“The injured party feared for his safety. He knew he had no prospects of getting his phones without provocation. He left and got some distance away. [Anthony Butler] and another man overtook him and demanded passcodes and PIN codes on both phones. They kicked and punched him a number of times, forcing him to hand over passcodes.

“He went to his friend’s house and later went to the A&E of Cork University Hospital,” Det Gda Bugler said.

The Apple phone’s tracker device was activated and the location for it was the bedroom of the defendant.

Defence barrister John Devlin said the defendant would have no difficulty handing over the passcode or PIN number to which he changed the Apple phone. The other phone was not recovered.