Two men charged with aggravated burglary at home of Cork woman, 83, and impersonating garda
Fresh charges of pretending to be gardaí and carrying out an aggravated burglary at the home of an 83-year-old woman were brought against two men yesterday.
The two accused were brought before Cork District Court where gardaí formally arrested them for the purpose of bringing the fresh charges.
As soon as those charges were brought, the two men signed pleas of guilty to the new counts against them and to other charges including five counts of carrying out burglaries at other properties.
Garda Keith Cahill brought the new charges against Christopher Jones, aged 27. Garda Mark Leonard charged Anthony Horgan, aged 44.
Solicitors Eddie Burke and Diarmuid Kelleher, for Jones and Horgan, respectively, immediately indicated that books of evidence would not be necessary and that the defendants were prepared to sign pleas of guilty yesterday.
The new charges were of impersonating a member of An Garda Síochána and carrying out an aggravated burglary at the home of the 83-year-old woman at Great William O’Brien St, Cork, on April 9.
Sergeant John Kelleher said the State was withdrawing an ordinary burglary charge in respect of the same address which had been brought previously.
Each defendant also signed pleas of guilty to charges of carrying out five other burglaries of houses on High St, Frankfield Villas, O’Connor Ville and Tyrone Place in Cork, all on the night of April 16/17.
A charge against each defendant of handling stolen property was also withdrawn yesterday in respect of the Spar Shop on Leitrim St on April 17.
So both men faced the five burglary charges, one count of aggravated burglary and one count of impersonating a police officer.
Horgan is additionally charged with two other offences, namely possession of a knife at Pope’s Quay in Cork city centre on April 17 and threatening to cause criminal damage to a window at Togher Garda Station on April 18.
On the application of Sergeant John Kelleher at Cork District Court, Judge Olann Kelleher sent the cases forward to Cork Circuit Criminal Court on October 27.
The two men were both remanded in custody until that date.
When they first appeared in court in relation to these various cases in April there was an objection to bail. At that time the details of the alleged offence at Great William O’Brien St were described.
It was alleged the 83-year-old woman woke to two intruders in her bedroom telling her they were gardaí checking out burglaries.
More than €2,700 in cash was stolen from this woman at her Cork city home in the course of this crime.
Horgan and Jones are both of no fixed address.
