A university student stole computers from his college, Dublin City University, because he wanted to design a computer game called "angry pigs" to rival the popular game Angry Birds, a court has heard.
Femi Adekele (25) and his accomplice jumped out of a window to escape security guards. He broke his leg in the process, causing his friend to leave him in a bush on college grounds for 12 hours overnight.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the accomplice returned to the bush the next day with a wheelbarrow to take Adekele away.
He abandoned the “farcical” rescue when security guards spotted and stopped Adekele in the wheelbarrow.
Adekele, The Maiston, Ballymun, Dublin, pleaded guilty to attempted burglary and burglary at Dublin City University, Glasnevin Avenue, Dublin, on December 1st and December 22nd, 2012.
Judge Martin Nolan said that Adekele’s crime led to a “comical situation” in which he was caught while being wheeled away by his friend in a wheelbarrow.
He noted that Adekele had a good history of employment and no previous convictions. He suspended a sentence of two years.
Garda Brendan Casey told Anne Marie Lawlor, prosecuting, that on the night of December 22nd, the two thieves were caught in the act of stealing computer equipment from a computer lab.
Bolt cutters
Adekele had brought a bolt cutters and a long knife with him to cut cables securing the computers.
The men had filled two large shopping bags with Apple computers and keyboards when security guards walked into the lab.
The burglars jumped out of an upstairs window. Adekele broke his leg and his friend left him in a bush for 12 hours.
After his arrest Adekele was linked to another attempted burglary at the computer lab earlier that month.
Pieter Le Vert, defending, said the client’s crimes ended in a “farcical conclusion”.
He said Adekele had not worn any disguise and had documents with his name on them in a shoulder bag.
After his arrest, the student told gardaí he needed the computers because he wanted to develop a computer game app called "angry pigs" to rival the popular smartphone game Angry Birds.
Mr Le Vert said his client had planned to make his fortune from this game.
He said Adekele was born in Nigeria, but was now an Irish citizen, having lived here for 10 years.
He was in the middle of studying for a master's degree at the university when he carried out the burglary. The degree has not been completed.
Studying
The court heard that Adekele worked while studying his undergraduate course in engineering.
He has worked as a kitchen porter and in the ESB.
Mr Le Vert added that his client had brought great shame on his family.