By Fiona Ferguson
A burglar who claimed he was a plumber when challenged by a security guard after breaking into an office building and damaging two cars has been jailed for 17 months.
Patrick Lynch (51) of Rosemount Glade, Dundrum, Dublin 14, pleaded guilty to burglary and damage to an interior door at L Building, Harcourt Street, Dublin 2 on February 8, 2025.
He also pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage to cars in the basement of the building.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard he has previous convictions, including seven for burglary.
An investigating garda told Tessa White BL, prosecuting, that two security guards separately noticed Lynch in the building at about 8am.
One of the security guards took cover after spotting broken glass on the second floor from a smashed internal window and seeing Lynch on CCTV holding a brick and implement.
The second security guard came across Lynch in the basement.
Lynch told him he was a plumber and had left his access card in a high-vis vest elsewhere. The guard took him at his word.
The owner of a Tesla parked in the basement was alerted around 7am that his car had been damaged and when he went to investigate, he found the front and rear windows smashed.
He encountered Lynch and asked him if he was breaking into cars, but Lynch did not reply.
The car owner left the premises, and Lynch followed him out onto the street.
The car owner spotted gardai and pointed out Lynch, who fled, but was arrested shortly afterwards.
A second car, a BMW, was also damaged in the basement.
Neither owner prepared a victim impact statement.
Mr Luigi Rea BL, defending, said his client, a father of five, had gone “downhill” after the death of his wife and began getting into trouble.
He said these offences had been an attempt to fund his addiction to pills.
He said he is receiving medical attention for health issues in custody.
He submitted there had been no violent confrontation and asked the court to consider his guilty plea.
He said Lynch had a prior work history as a carpenter. He said he wants to put offending behind him and deal with his issues.
Passing sentence yesterday, Judge Martin Nolan said Lynch needed funds on the morning and entered the building to steal.
He said he had entered a commercial building and hoped it would be unoccupied.
He said the chief mitigation was the guilty plea and also noted Lynch’s work history.
He said Lynch had a lot of convictions and was finding it difficult to change.
Judge Nolan imposed a 17-month sentence.