Serial Longford thief left with 'busted' face after botched break-in attempts

Robert O’Haire (37), of 4 Camlin Mews, Longford was sentenced by Judge Seamus Hughes at last week’s District Court sitting after pleading guilty to three separate trespass related offences at addresses in the Ennybegs area of Killoe on July 5 2019.

The Longford man, who has 67 previous convictions, 37 of which were for theft, was apprehended after a ‘citizen’s arrest’ was carried out by a number of homeowners and local residents when they chased the defendant through fields at around 5am.

Sgt Paddy McGirl said it was the prosecution’s case Mr O’Haire entered the curtilage of up to three premises when the alarm was raised.

When gardaí arrived, he said a number of locals assisted in executing Mr O’Haire’s arrest before he was later transferred back to Granard Garda Station.

Wearing a grey tracksuit, Mr O’Haire said he took to the fields after being disturbed by a dog only to be chased and tracked down by a group of irate homeowners.

“I came out of a shed and a dog started barking, so I looked in (through the window) to see if the people inside the house were coming out and I just ran into the field,” he told the court.
“But then these people grabbed me and gave me a few slaps.”

Mr O’Haire, who was only six weeks out of prison when the incident occurred, claimed one of the individuals accosted him and left him with a 'busted face'.

Among the items stolen, the court was informed were a number of cans of paint, something Mr O’Haire was keen to downplay.

“I didn’t take any cans of paint,” he said.

“I wasn’t found in possession of any property.”

In defence, solicitor Frank Gearty said his client was ultimately stopped in his tracks when attempting to examine a house which he described as having “fort knox” security.

Mr Gearty also attempted to talk down claims his client had carried out and made off with high valued items, saying his behaviour on the night was more akin to “pottering around sheds” than anything else.

Appearing intrigued by that response, Judge Hughes said he wanted to know exactly what was going through the mind of Mr O’Haire on the morning of the said incident.

“I want to see what it’s like to be in the mind of a burglar?” Judge Hughes asked.

“Did you see flashing blue lights through the bushes?”

Mr O’Haire said while he was acknowledging his culpability over what happened, he pleaded with Judge Hughes to afford him some hope of rehabilitation by recommending him for treatment to a long standing drug problem.

“I have been a friend to you,” he told the Judge, leaning over a bench as he addressed the Mayo native.

“All I am asking for is three or four weeks. I have never asked for treatment and I am just asking for a few weeks because jail isn’t helping me.

“No matter what you do today, I am still going to go and get treatment because the drugs will kill me.”

Sgt McGirl said Mr O’Haire, despite being banned from driving, had used a car to access the area which was registered in the name of his ex-partner.

A search of the 06 registered car also recovered a number of items which had been allegedly stolen sometime earlier.

He added that among Mr O’Haire’s 67 previous convictions contained a six month sentence for burglary handed down in October 2018.

That same month saw Judge Hughes issue Mr O’Haire with a 13 month sentence, a term which Mr Gearty described as a “seminal moment” for his client.

And, before Judge Hughes considered what sentence to impose, Sgt McGirl said there had been a more sinister side to Mr O’Haire’s behaviour when gardaí ultimately arrested him.

“When he was arrested, he did threaten individuals that he would come back and break into their houses again,” he said.

Mr O’Haire denied this, however, saying: “I did shout at the fella who hit me a few boxes that I would ‘get you back’ but I didn’t say I would go back and rob houses.

“I did shout back, but it was out of temper.”

Before handing down sentence, Mr O’Haire asked: “Is there any chance I will be able to get home before Christmas?”

Judge Hughes consequently jailed Mr O’Haire for six months and three months respectively for the trespass and burglary related charges and a further four months for the no insurance charge. He was also banned from driving for ten years.

All sentences are to run concurrently with the date of the prison term being backdated to July 6 when Mr O’Haire first went into custody.