Burglar poured cement in bathtub of Cork city house

A YOUNG man committing a burglary drank Guinness in a house on one visit and when he returned on another occasion to the same property he caused criminal damage by pouring cement into a bath.

“They are very serious charges — these are private houses he is going into,” said Judge Olann Kelleher.

However, at Cork District Court, the judge said he also had to take into consideration real concerns for the defendant himself and said he would adjourn sentencing so that an updated probation report could be obtained on some background matters.

Ieuan Yowell of Tinnock Old School House, Ardmore, Co Waterford, pleaded guilty to burgling the house twice and burgling another house once.

Sergeant Pat Lyons said that on March 30, 2021, at Ard na Laoi, Montenotte, the defendant broke in and drank bottles of Guinness he found in the house.

Later on the same day he returned to this house and broke in again.

“He poured cement into a bathtub of the house, which caused criminal damage,” Sgt Lyons said.

After that second burglary, the accused man was found at the scene of the crime when gardaí arrived to investigate.

Sgt Lyons said the defendant was standing in the hallway of the house and was arrested there and then.

Yowell, aged 24, had carried out another burglary just over three months earlier, on December 14, 2020, at Herbert Park Lawn, Gardiner’s Hill, Cork.

Frank Buttimer, defence solicitor, said there was initially a concern about the defendant’s capacity to deal with the charges because of psychiatric concerns.

Judge Kelleher said three burglaries put an accused person at risk of a prison sentence.

“But I am not going to do that in this case because of his health concerns,” the judge said.

Sentencing was adjourned for four months to allow time for an updated probation report.