Five charged with targeted robbery of Cork home

Three men and two teenage boys have been charged in connection with a targeted burglary at a house in Bandon Co Cork on Friday evening.

A garda who arrived at the scene claimed they had caught the robbers “red handed”, the court heard.

The men appeared before Bandon District Court on Monday. Gardaí told Judge James McNulty that the men and the two juveniles allegedly travelled from Co Tipperary to Bandon with the aim of committing a burglary in a house which they believed contained a large amount of cash.

The court heard they stopped for fuel in Cashel en route in an Audi A3 car, then parked for some 40 minutes in the Watergate area of Bandon, the court heard. Gardaí claimed they saw the accused leave the property and another in the driver’s seat ready to flee the scene.

Larry O’Connor (32) of An Duiche, Scahelene, Tipperary town was charged with possession of articles to wit a burglary, including a 3.2 litre Audi car with cloned registration plates, a screw driver, Dettol spray, a face covering and gloves . He was also charged with entering as a trespasser to commit a burglary and with production of a crowbar.

When the charges were put to him under caution he replied to one of the charges : “When I came out of the house. I put my hand up the law. I thrown the bar to the ground beside the ditch. I threw it away from me. I wasn’t threatening anyone with it.”

The second accused Patrick Harty (26) of Mountain View, Bansha Road in Tipperary town was also charged with possession of articles to wit a burglary and entering as a trespasser to commit a burglary. He made no reply when the charges were put to him under caution.

The third accused Jimmy Connors of Bank Place in Tipperary town was charged with possession of articles to wit a burglary, the use of a mechanically propelled vehicle without insurance, dangerous driving and entering as a trespasser to commit a burglary.

‘Red handed’

Det Sgt Lyons objected to bail arising out of the seriousness of the charges. He said the men were caught “red handed” in the Watergate on Friday.

He said gardaí will allege that the men targeted the house in question believing there to be cash onsite. He expressed fear that the men would commit offences whilst on bail or not appear in court to face their charges.

He claimed Larry O’Connor was seen exiting the property through the front door holding a crowbar. He claimed that Mr O’Connor had attempted to strike gardaí with the object.

Mr O’Connor told Judge McNulty that “on the day it just went out of hand”. He apologised and stated his intention to enter a guilty plea in the case. “I am not denying nothing.”

Dt Sgt Lyons said Dettol spray was found in the vehicle and in recent burglaries gardaí have found that the product is used to rid crime scenes of forensic evidence.

He claimed that Mr Harty was seen leaving the property in Bandon through a window. He also claimed that Jimmy Connors was in the driver seat of the car and tried to flee the scene.

Judge James McNulty declined to grant bail to all three men and remanded them in custody to appear before the court again on January 31st . Two juvenile males also appeared in court for their alleged role and were granted bail .