Cork man 'caught rotten' breaking into pub with balaclava and gloves, says judge

“Caught rotten”, was how a district court judge referred to the arrest of a man with a homemade balaclava, gloves and a crowbar at the scene of a break-in to a pub in Cork in the early hours of Saturday.

Garda Laura Prenderville testified that 48-year-old David O’Brien, of 15 Maple Place, Togher, Cork, was arrested and brought before Cork District Court.

There was an objection to bail being granted to the defendant, who was charged with carrying out a burglary at Flannerys of Glasheen, Cork.

Garda Prenderville alleged there was a break-in at the premises after 2.30am on March 21, where a crowbar was used to force open a side door.

Gardaí arrived at the scene in response to the alarm. Garda Prenderville testified a man was found upstairs trying to open the till.

The evidence given by Garda Prenderville was that the man was carrying a crowbar and was wearing gloves and a hat pulled down over his face, with cut-outs for the eyes.

The defendant said he was attending for treatment for drug and gambling addictions and said to Judge Mary Dorgan: “It is treatment I need at the moment and not custody.” David O’Brien applied for bail through his solicitor Frank Buttimer, but Judge Mary Dorgan refused bail and remanded him in custody until March 30.

Judge Dorgan said: “He was caught with a crowbar, a balaclava and gloves so he was caught rotten allegedly committing this offence.”