Wexford burglar armed with knife is sentenced to 18 months in prison

A KNIFE- CARRYING burglar deserved 18 months in jail for the crime, concluded Judge Martin Nolan.

He was dealing in the Circuit Court with the case of 45-year-old Jason Power, with an address at 87 St Aidan’s Crescent, Wexford.

The accused pleaded guilty to the offence committed at 19 Melrose Court in February of 2019.

Garda Donal Donavan told the court how he was called to the scene by householder Barry Nolan.

The injured party had returned home to find the door kicked in and Power, whom he knew, standing in the hallway.

The property had been damaged as knives had been stuck into walls and the bedroom door.

A television bracket had been broken off the walls and it appeared that all Nolan’s possessions, including his clothes, had been wrapped up in bed-sheets.

Coins from a jar had been put in a bag and were also ready to be taken away.

The defendant was seen to have a knife sticking out of his pocket and Nolan was able to take it from him when he turned around.

At first, Power tried to persuade the garda that someone else had broken in and that he was tidying up the place but this was not accepted.

The burglary was not well planned and the culprit, who is now on a methadone programme, was intoxicated at the time.

The court was told that the accused has four grandchildren and that he did not want his family to be ashamed of him.

Judge Martin Nolan acknowledged the guilty plea and the defendant’s drug problem.

He also took note of long record of previous convictions, which included three counts of theft and three assaults.

The 18-month term was handed down on conviction for burglary with credit given for time already spent in custody while on remand.

The knife possession charge was marked ‘ taken into consideration’.