A burglar who held a broken wine bottle to the throat of a 16-year-old boy has been given a four-year sentence. Jordan Cunningham (19), Charlemont Street, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to aggravated burglary at the house in Ranelagh on January 9th, 2012.
Garda Ronan Lacey told Fiona Murphy, prosecuting, that the victim answered a knock at the door. He spoke to Cunningham, who asked him the time and whether his mother was home. He replied his mother was not there. Cunningham produced the bottle and grabbed him in a head lock. He told the boy: “I don’t want to kill you. I only want money.”
He led the boy inside and took a Hilfiger watch. When Cunningham was distracted the teenager smashed the bottle. He grabbed Cunningham and kicked and shouted and tried to back him out the door. Cunningham banged off the wall and the boy pushed him outside and bolted the door. He went to seek help from his father upstairs.
Judge Martin Nolan noted that the incident was very frightening for the boy and imposed a four-year sentence.