Burglars’ bizarre raid
Couple made victim drive to McDonald’s, stole €15k from him, and then offered him a Mercedes as apology
A BURGLAR who smashed through a man’s bedroom door armed with a hammer has been jailed for six years for burglary and theft, while his girlfriend, who also took part in the burglary, was jailed for two years.
The pair held the man overnight, made him drive to McDonald’s for a take-out, forced him to withdraw €15,000 the next day, then obtained a Mercedes car and offered it to him as compensation.
One of their masks fell during the ordeal and their victim recognised them as friends of his ex-girlfriend.
Carlos Lawrence, 27, of Rosary Road, Maryland, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft and aggravated burglary while armed with a wedge hammer, at Wainsfort Manor Grove, Terenure, Dublin, on December 13, 2017.
He has 51 previous convictions for robbery, possession of an imitation firearm, hijacking, theft and criminal damage. His partner and mother of his twin boys, Catherine Dempsey, 26, of Michael Mallin House, Vicar Street, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to stealing €15,000 in cash and burglary at the same time and place. She has seven previous convictions.
Detective Sergeant Jason Miley told Antonia Boyle BL, prosecuting, at the sentence hearing earlier this month that Alan Greene was asleep in his bedroom when Lawrence smashed through glass French doors with a hammer.
Mr Greene immediately struggled with the intruder, who was dressed all in black with a scarf around his nose and mouth, but the man managed to get inside.
The alarm was sounding and Lawrence instructed Mr Greene to switch it off before telling him to allow Dempsey in.
The pair started shouting at him and demanding money, telling Mr Greene they heard from his expartner, known as ‘G’, that he had lots of money. Det. Sgt Miley said that Mr Greene became aware that ‘G’ was a drug addict a few months previously and had tried to help her. She had moved out of his home but he continued to support her financially.
Mr Greene was told to drive to McDonald’s where they went in and bought food. He later told gardaí that while they were eating the take-away back at his apartment, Lawrence’s scarf slipped and he recognised him.
He said at one point Dempsey left the house but returned without her face covered.
The following morning Dempsey accompanied him to the bank where he withdrew €15,000. While waiting for the money, he was told to drive to a garage on the Kylemore Road where Lawrence picked up a Mercedes.
Det Sgt Miley said when Mr Greene handed over the €15,000, Lawrence returned his phone to him and offered to give him the Mercedes but Mr Greene refused.
He returned home and the gardaí were later alerted. Gardaí arrived at the couple’s home later that day and €12,500 was recovered from Dempsey, half of which was on her person and the other half in her handbag.
Mr Greene said in his victim impact report that the burglary takes over all of his thoughts. He dreads spending time at home. He blocks up his doors with chairs and is waiting for them to come back and hurt him.
Lawrence was sentenced to seven years with the final 12 months suspended after Judge Melanie Greally allowed that he was ‘in the throes of a severe drug addiction’ at the time, had expressed remorse, had a good work history and came from a difficult background.
Dempsey was sentenced to five years with the final three years suspended after Judge Greally took into account the fact that she was ‘acting under pressure’ and that a probation report puts her at ‘a low risk of re-offending’.
Severe drug addiction