Jail for intruder caught on film by Cork city tenant

A tenant at an apartment complex woke in the early hours and filmed an intruder outside her bedroom window by means of her mobile-phone video camera. Now, the 41-year-old intruder has been jailed for a total of 10 months.

Brendan Colohan, of Carrigbeg House, Sunday’s Well Rd, Cork, pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary at the same premises: The Scholar Lee apartments on Western Rd, Cork.

On Monday, June 3, 2024, he climbed gates to get into the apartment complex, which was accessible by fob only.

He tried to access numerous apartments and outbuildings.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said: “A tenant woke to hear someone trying to gain entry to her apartment through a bedroom window. She picked up her mobile phone to record and pulled back the blind to capture the encounter at 3.50am.

“On June 1, 2024, the same man was observed on CCTV jumping the gates of the complex and climbing over a glass balcony on the ground floor, before exiting with a plastic bag full of items.”

It was later clarified that it contained vodka and cigarettes.

“At 4.45am on January 5, 2024, he carried out a similar burglary at the same complex.

“He entered with another male and gained access to an outbuilding, where €1,800 worth of power tools were taken,” Sgt Davis said.

On December 2, 2023, a man was assaulted by Brendan Colohan and another man, at Western Rd, and the victim’s ear pods fell out.

Mr Colohan took possession of them. He pleaded guilty to assault and theft arising out of the incident.

On November 20, 2024, at Southern Rd, Cork, he was found in possession of numerous deals of suspected crack cocaine and a scissors. The drugs had a value of €350.

He pleaded guilty to charges including dealing the cocaine and possession of a weapon, namely the scissors.

More recently, on January 17 this year, he was stopped on Paul St, Cork, where he had €300 worth of crack cocaine.

As Garda Shane Hayes approached, he put the cocaine on an electricity box and most of it fell down the back of it and had to be retrieved. He admitted obstructing a drugs search and dealing the cocaine.

He also admitted having heroin for his own use.

Aoife Buttimer, solicitor, said, on the 41-year-old’s behalf, that against a background of a longstanding addiction, he had been doing well for a period of two years, but, unfortunately, had relapsed and got involved in all of these offences.

“He has been getting on well in prison and is anxious to avail of the services. He is identified only on CCTV footage, but he pleads guilty,” Ms Buttimer said.

Judge Mary Dorgan remarked: “He hasn’t much of a choice. He was recorded by one of the residents.”