Burglarwho traumatised disabled woman jailed

A BELFAST man has been jailed for breaking into the home of a disabled woman.

Sentencing Damien Joseph Power (37) to 30 months, Judge Donna Mccolgan QC said the break-in left the victim distraught and fearful it may happen again.

Power, from Rossnareen Avenue, admitted burgling the Donegall Road home of a couple in their 60s in the early hours of February 2 last year.

He woke a 63-year-old woman from her sleep and stole a mobile phone and Samsung tablet before leaving the bungalow.

The father-of-three appeared at Belfast Crown Court via video-link from Maghaberry Prison. His sentence will be divided equally between 15 months in prison and 15 on licence.

The woman was sleeping in her bedroom and was woken by a noise and a man in the room.

She initially thought it was her husband and it was only when the male spoke that she released he was an intruder.

She called out to her husband, who was in a separate bedroom, and Power left the premises.

She later realised a mobile and tablet had been taken.

Power, whose criminal record was branded “appalling” by the judge, was connected to the scene forensically, arrested and interviewed.

While he made a “no comment” interview, he later told a probation officer he had no recollection of the burglary as he had been under the influence of Xanax.

Judge Mccolgan read part of the female victim’s impact statement.

It said: “The main impact has been on my mental and emotional wellbeing.

“I was so badly shaken by what happened. I was horrified and I still am going through a horrible time.

“It has been a very difficult time for me and this is especially the case with everything that is happening with the pandemic.

“Now at home during the night-time I need to keep all the lights on. I don’t feel safe in my own home anymore.”

The woman, who has disability issues, said her sleeping pattern has been affected, she has developed an obsession with checking that doors and windows are locked, and her life has changed since the burglary.

She added: “I feel fearful and vulnerable. I’m scared and I fear this type of thing may happen again. I am distraught.

“The offender stole valuable electrical devices and to this date I haven’t had enough money to replace them. The whole ordeal has been most depressing. It has just been a horrible experience.”