Bandon woman feels unsafe after ‘targeted burglary’

A BANDON woman has told a court that she feels unsafe and unable to live alone in her home following a targeted burglary attempt last year.

At Cork Circuit Court this week, Larry O’Connor (32) of 174 An Duiche, Scalaheen, and Patrick Harty (27) of Mountain View, Bansha Rd, both in Tipperary town, were sentenced to jail following a garda operation in Bandon in January 2022.

Det Sgt Andrew Lyons said the accused had travelled from Tipperary for the sole purpose of carrying out a burglary. Det Sgt Lyons told Judge Helen Boyle the series of events which had led up to the burglary in Bandon.

He said an Audi A3 with false Limerick registration plates was observed at a fuel stop in Cashel and was then seen at the house in Bandon on CCTV and in the area around the property for 40 minutes on January 21st 2022.

Gardaí than moved to the property where they apprehended Larry O’Connor and, as he exited the house through the front door, he was carrying a crow bar. They then apprehended Patrick Harty, who was wearing gloves and a snood and was leaving the property through a window.

Gardaí found Dettol multi-surface spray, which Det Sgt Lyons said they believe was used to disinfect crime scenes of forensic evidence, and which he said was the case in recent burglaries. Gloves and a screwdriver were among other items seized by gardaí.

Both men had pleaded guilty to burglary and possession of articles while Harty also entered a plea to a charge of criminal damage.

They brought €150 to court to pay for the broken lock at the house.

Judge Helen Boyle told the court that having read the victim impact statement it was clear that, while O’Connor and Harty had not stolen anything from the property or ransacked the home thanks to the intervention of gardaí, the incident was a traumatic experience for the woman who lives at the address.

‘In her statement to me this lady now feels unsafe in her home, she feels targeted and is anxious even when people are with her,’ Judge Boyle said.

Judge Boyle imposed a sentence of four years with the last six months suspended in the case against Larry O’Connor. This will run consecutively to a 12-year sentence being served by the accused for an unrelated crime. Patrick Harty received a sentence of four years, with the final year suspended.