Burglar stole bike after failed break-in at Cork café 

A man climbed over a wall and tried to break into a cafe but when he failed to get in, he decided to steal a bicycle instead by throwing it over the perimeter wall and then cycling away in the early hours of the morning, a court has heard.

The man who carried out this burglary pleaded guilty to the crime at Cork District Court, where Judge Mary Dorgan sentenced him to nine months in prison. The sentence will run concurrently with another sentence already being served by the accused, John Paul Thornton, aged 43, of Blackwater Grove, Togher, Cork, and of St Vincent’s hostel, Anglesea Terrace.

Sergeant Pat Lyons said: “On September 4, 2023, staff opening the cafe in the morning found a light metal bar shoved into the padlock of the main gate to the property. It appeared that someone used the bar to try to break the padlock, but failed.

“Staff checked CCTV and found that at approximately 1.30am that morning a man jumped the perimeter wall and then attempted to gain access to the café.

“After failing to gain entry to the cafe, the man located a bicycle at the rear of the property, valued by the owner at €350.

“He took the bicycle and threw it over the wall and fled the area on the bicycle. CCTV footage was harvested and he was identified as John Paul Thornton.

“There was a DNA link between the accused and an item located at the scene of the crime.”

Sgt Lyons said Thornton had 163 previous convictions, including seven for burglary, eight for theft and larceny, and four for robbery.

Solicitor Frank Buttimer said Thornton was serving 10 months, which was due to be completed by April. Mr Buttimer described the bicycle theft as opportunistic.

“He has an untreated and pretty significant drug difficulty,” he said. “But there have been two positive things to come out of his latest time in prison.

“He is attending educational courses and is also attending drug counselling in prison. He has rehabilitated quite well.”

Judge Dorgan said the accused had an appalling record and there was no prospect of him gathering compensation for the owner of the bicycle, which was not recovered.