'I just exist here now - it's not my home': Woman feared for her life after man broke into her house

A WOMAN in her sixties feared for her life when she heard rustling from her kitchen at 3am and found an intruder crouching down in the room.

A victim impact statement from the woman was read out by Judge Mary Dorgan at Cork District Court this week. The woman, now aged 70, addressed her victim impact statement directly to the accused man, 32-year-old Stephen O’Donovan of 1 Peter’s Street, Cork.

She was alone in her flat at Abbey Street, Cork, when the burglary occurred. She said: “The terror I felt when I entered the kitchen to see you crouching there at three o’clock in the morning.

“I am a woman alone here. I was in fear for my life. I have nightmares over this and why you did this.

“I would like to thank the two guards from Mahon and the detective from Anglesea Street for their respect and great work.

“I just exist here now — it’s not my home. Thanks to my family and friends — without them I would be lost.”

Sergeant Pat Lyons described the background to the crime: “At 3 am, the householder who is now 70 and was at the time in her mid-60s, woke to hear a rustling noise from the kitchen.

“She investigated and discovered a man in her kitchen who clenched his fist at her before leaving through the back window which was open. Cash of €15 was taken.

“Gardaí and scenes of crime officers attended the scene. An empty vodka bottle was left in the kitchen which was foreign to the scene.”

The item was forensically tested. It was not until June 2022 that a DNA match to the accused was established. He was before Cork District Court today for sentencing on this burglary and other charges.

Defence solicitor, Aoife Buttimer, said the accused had a serious problem with alcohol, so much so that it could have killed him, but she said he had been doing much better in his life recently.

Judge Dorgan agreed to adjourn the case for sentencing until April 8 and directed the preparation of a probation report.

Additional charges

As well as the burglary which dates back to September 23 2018, he pleaded guilty to other charges too. On July 3 last year he was threatening and abusive and was drunk and a danger at South Main Street.

On dates in October 2022 he stole items from Tesco on Paul Street and from 53 Degrees North, also on Paul Street. And in May 21 2022 he stole bottles of spirits at the Kino cinema on Washington Street.

Stephen O’Donovan was remanded on bail for sentencing in April.