A Shandon-based man burgled an apartment at Grenville Place in Cork where two young non-national women were living and now one of them has said at the sentencing hearing, “I always thought Ireland to be a safe place.

John Burke of Bob and Joan’s Walk, Shandon Cork, was jailed for three years for the crime at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

He pleaded guilty to the charge of burglary at an apartment at Grenville Place, Cork, on May 9. Judge Dara Hayes imposed a sentence of four years and ten months and suspended one year and ten months of that.

Defence barrister Niamh Stewart said, “He is only 25. There was no violence involved. He turned out his pockets when they asked him to. He was fairly intoxicated at the time and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. He has addiction problems - prescription tablets and cocaine.” 

Burke said, “I want to apologise to the young ladies in the apartment for my behaviour on the night in question. 

"Since coming to prison I have begun to educate myself in areas of my life where I have little or no understanding – like the alternatives to violence programme.” 

He said he was building towards getting into employment on his release from prison.

The burglary was investigated by Garda Conor Cronin who read the victim impact statement on behalf one of the young women living in the apartment.

“A man who I did not know broke into my apartment. I was terrified of this man and did not know what he would do to me or my housemate.

“I always believed I was safe in my apartment but since this incident it is not true. 

"I moved out a month later. I did not feel safe.

“I feel sorry for this man. I believe he has a problem with drugs, I was also in fear of him. I always thought Ireland to be a safe place,” she said.