A “professional burglar” who had an up to €2,000 a day drug habit has been jailed for five years, with the final two years suspended, for a number of burglaries committed over a three year period.
Dean Phelan (20) of Poddle Close, Crumlin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to seven burglaries on dates between December 2006 and May 2009 at locations across the city.
Garda Declan O’Connor told Ms Una Tighe BL, prosecuting, that most of the burglaries were committed during the night when the house owners were asleep.
Most of the items taken were electrical goods such as televisions, laptops and cameras, which Phelan admitted he stole to sell on to feed his drug habit.
In two of the burglaries Phelan took the car keys and drove off in the owners’ vehicles.
Ms Sandra Frayne BL, defending said Phelan was “drinking vodka and taking sleeping tablets,” when he had committed the burglaries.
The 20 year old became addicted to heroin and crack cocaine from the age of 16 and spend most of his life in and out of institutions.
Judge Patrick McCartan said Phelan had “perfected the art of burglary” as the owners were not disturbed bar on two occasions.
“You are a persistent thief and were spending up to €2,000 a day on your drug habit which indicates to me you must have been a particularly busy and active thief in order to meet this dependency.”
“You come from a good family and there are no explanations as to why you chose this route.”
Judge McCartan noted that Phelan has taken active steps to deal with his addictions and said on sentencing him that people need to “live with some degree of ease and comfort that they won’t be disturbed in their own homes.”