Portlaoise burglar urinated in washing machine and 'terrified' two teenage girls

Portlaoise District Court was told teenage girls had been “terrified” by a burglar who stole  €1,200 in goods and urinated in a washing machine. 

David McDonagh (28) of Ballyfin Road, Portlaoise, admitted burgling two neighbouring houses in Jessop Street, Portlaoise, on February 11, 2024. 

Judge Andrew Cody described the incidents as “terrifying burglaries” which left two girls who were 16 and 19 “traumatised” after they woke to find “this man standing over them” at 3am. He noted the man had 68 previous convictions. 

“These are serious matters. In addition he stole €1,200 of goods and urinated in a washing machine,” said Judge Cody. 

Andrew Dunne BL brought produced documentation from a counsellor and a letter from the defendant to the injured parties. He said the man is intending to engage with psychological services with the Irish Prison Services. 

Judge Cody asked about the defendant's previous convictions. 

Garda Sergeant Jason Hughes said the man had five previous convictions for burglary and the most recent dated to June of 2023. 

Judge Cody said the offending in this case happened just eight months later. 

Mr Dunne said his client was a member of the Travelling community who left school after his junior cert and had boxed professionally for a time. He said the man had an “incredibly difficult childhood” and began to abuse drugs. 

The man had serious addiction issues and now wants to engage in rehabilitation, said Mr Dunne. He said his client had also suffered with mental health difficulties. He explained that the offending had occurred after the man took illicit substances and alcohol and he “doesn’t have a great memory of the offences.”

“He is very regretful and very remorseful,” said Mr Dunne. He acknowledged that there were young victims in the case and he said his client told him he would be very upset if anything of that nature happened to his daughter. 

Mr Dunne explained that his client was brought to the second house by someone who thought that that was where he was staying. 

He said the man had some family support and he asked that he be given a chance to turn his life around. He suggested a suspended sentence and said his client would be happy to abide by any conditions imposed by the court. 

Judge Cody described it as very serious offending. He said it was very serious for the four injured parties but in particular, the two girls who were aged 16 and 19. He said the man entered their homes at 3am and they did not know what was going to happen. 

He sentenced the man to six months for the first burglary and backdated the sentence to June 26.  He ordered that the man be placed on post release supervision by the probation service for two years. He imposed a consecutive ten month sentence for the second burglary and suspended the final four months for two years.  Judge Cody said in total the sentence amounts to 12 months in prison and four months suspended. He fixed recognisance in case of appeal.