Judge: 'Extraordinary' that State pays for lactose-intolerant burglar's disability benefit

The burglars fled from the farm house after discovering that the sole occupant, 97-year-old James (Jimmy) O’Connor, was asleep in his bed

Judge Garavan said that the “absolute fear and trauma to the victims that can be occasioned” by such offences in rural areas can’t be overstated. File picture: iStock

A judge has stated that it is “extraordinary” that the State is paying disability benefit for a Limerick burglary gang member's lactose intolerance.

At Ennis Circuit Court. after being informed of Edward Woodland's disability benefit for his lactose intolerance, Judge Eoin Garavan commented: “I am sure that the taxpayer will be delighted to know that Department of Social Welfare pays disability benefit for lactose intolerance”.

Lactose intolerance is a common digestive problem where the body is unable to digest lactose, a type of sugar mainly found in milk and dairy products. Judge Garavan said: “The less said about this the better, but it seems to be an extraordinary reason for obtaining social protection disability payment.” 

Judge Garavan made his comments on Edward Woodland (23) when imposing cumulative sentences on Mr Woodland and three accomplices in a four-man burglary gang totalling 18-and-a-half years with four-and-a-half years suspended for a burglary on an isolated farmhouse at Ballyveskill, Tiermaclane nine kms from Ennis in Co. Clare on January 5, 2018.

All four pleaded guilty to burglary and on the date three of the burglars, father and son, Patrick (48) and Edward Woodland along with Paul Kiely (35) fled from the farm house after discovering that the sole occupant, 97-year-old James (Jimmy) O’Connor was asleep in his bed.

At around 3.30pm on January 5, 2018, the raiders had kicked in the door of the house and broke a lock ransacking the home looking for cash before discovering Mr O’Connor’s presence.

All three were caught by gardaí as they tried to escape through fields around the O’Connor home. Nothing was taken in the burglary and Judge Garavan said that no threat of violence or violence was used.

As part of the planned burglary, one member of the gang, brother to Patrick and uncle to Edward, John Woodland (43) lured James O’Connor’s son, Vincent O’Connor, away from his home to a nearby field on the pretense of buying silage as part of “a clever decoy”. John Woodland had first contacted Vincent O’Connor concerning purchasing silage at the start of December 2017.

Sentencing

Imposing sentence, Judge Garavan stated that the burglary offence carried out by the gang “is of intense social concern” and there must be a deterrent. He said such offences “terrify people in rural areas where there is little protection against this and who do not have gardaí on their doorstep” 

Judge Garavan said that the “absolute fear and trauma to the victims that can be occasioned” by such offences in rural areas can’t be overstated. He said that the offence was premeditated and carefully thought out and gardaí were on the scene as they knew that a burglary was going to take place as a result of intelligence received.

Judge Garavan said that three raiders displayed “humanity in the midst of a serious crime” when they decided to flee from the house after discovering there was an elderly man asleep in the home at the time. The judge said it would have been very traumatic for Vincent O’Connor returning to his home in the afternoon and not knowing if his father had been interfered with or tied up.

Judge Garavan added that the O’Connor farmhouse was an easy target for the raiders in a rural area. James O’Connor died peacefully at home in March 2018 and his death was not related to the January burglary where his sleep was undisturbed.

In sentencing, Judge Garavan imposed a five-year prison term on Patrick Woodland of Greenmount Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick, a five-year prison term with the final year suspended on Edward Woodland with the same address, a five-year prison term on John Woodland of Clarina Avenue, Ballinacurra Avenue, Limerick, with the final two years suspended and three-and-a-half years on Paul Kiely Glencairn, Dooradadoyle, Limerick, with the final one-and-a-half years suspended.

Detective Garda Brendan Rouine told the court that Patrick Woodland and John Woodland were each jailed for three years in 2012 for a similar type burglary committed in Galway in 2011.

Det. Garda Rouine said that Vincent O’Connor has now enhanced security features at his home and that Mr O’Connor did not wish to make a victim impact statement and couldn’t come to court due to a cattle herd test.