Longford Pair jailed for aggravated burglary
A man and a woman have been jailed for the aggravated burglary of an apartment in Longford.
Donna McDermott (37), with addresses at 4 Cluain Ard, Ardnacassa, Longford, and 52 Springlawn, Longford, appeared at Longford Circuit Court, alongside co-accused Barry Keane (39), of Goshen, Edgeworthstown, Co Longford. A third co-accused was jailed earlier this year for the same incident. The court heard evidence of how the three co-accused carried out an aggravated burglary at an apartment in Weaver's Hall, Market Square, Longford, on June 3, 2022. The apartment was occupied by Brazilian national, Luis de Silva and Chinese woman, Kit de Long.
The court heard that, in the early hours of the morning, Mr de Silva heard banging noises. When he opened the door, he was met by two men and one woman. One of the men was holding a bogus search warrant as a ruse to masquerade as a Garda. That co-accused was sentenced to five years in prison earlier this year, with the final 18 months suspended.
Detective Garda Damien McGovern told the court that Mr Keane took a kitchen knife and threatened Mr de Silva by holding it to his neck and making demands. When Mr de Silva attempted to exit the apartment, he was blocked from doing so, but later managed to escape out a window and run for help.
The trio then entered the bedroom of Ms de Long, who hid her wallet under her bedsheets and sat on it. However, she was pushed aside and the wallet, which contained €850 in €50 notes, was taken. Ms de Long was also robbed of a handbag worth €300, which contained four gold rings valued at €600 in total, her phone, a smart watch worth €300 and her Chinese ID card. In total, €1200 was taken from the apartment, along with the objects inside the handbag and two phones. Only the phones and one of the gold rings were recovered. In her victim impact statement, Ms de Long said, "I don't think I will ever forget that night." She said she has been "so scared since this incident". "These people attacked me because they knew there would be cash and they didn't think we'd report it," she said.
Mr de Silva, in his own victim impact statement, said he panics every time there is a knock at the door and "any time I see a knife, I think about that night". Addressing the court, Det. Gda Damien McGovern said Mr Keane suffers from a chronic heroin addiction. "His addiction is his main issue and that's what causes problems for him, certainly in Longford," he said. Ms McDermott, also suffers a drug addiction. Judge Johnson noted this was a "terrifying" experience for the injured parties who were "both traumatised" and "both vulnerable". He also noted both of the accused were at high risk of reoffending, according to a probation report. He proceeded to sentence both Ms McDermott and Mr Keane to five years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended for four years on the condition that they engage with counselling and addiction services and find residential drug treatment within 18 months of release from prison.
The sentence was backdated to when they were first remanded in custody.