By Claire Henry
A burglar with over 200 previous convictions has been given a 10-year sentence with the final 18 months suspended for a spate of burglaries and criminal damage spanning across Dublin county.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Andrew Cleary (50), of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty on a full-facts basis to multiple counts of burglary, theft, trespass, and criminal damage, and to a single count of aggravated burglary, at various locations across Dublin, including Sandymount, Killiney, Rathgar, Rathmines, and Ranelagh, between October 2024 and July 2025.
He has 214 previous convictions.
Three gardaí told Ronan Prendergast BL, prosecuting, of incidents where Cleary entered homes and stole high-value items which he could sell to feed his addiction issues.
Ms Justice Patricia Ryan noted aggravating features included premises being private residences and the effect on the injured parties, some of whom now live in fear and feel uncomfortable in their home.
She took into account in mitigation Cleary’s guilty pleas, his efforts at rehabilitation and his difficult personal circumstances.
Ms Justice Ryan imposed a global sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions.
The court heard that in the aggravated burglary at a home in Ranelagh, a man was working from home when he heard his floorboards creaking.
The man turned to face the door and saw a man later identified as Cleary entering the room, shouting, “Give me the money,” while also brandishing a knife.
The man described Cleary as acting erratically and continuing to demand money, all while pointing the knife at the man.
The injured party gave Cleary his wallet and was instructed to lock the door and not to come out. The man left the room a short time later and called gardaí.
A victim impact statement from the man was read to the court, outlining the difficulties he has had since the incident, including sleep problems and constant checking that his doors are locked.
The court heard of a separate incident that occurred at a home in Killiney, when an alarm company alerted the homeowner that his security alarm had been activated.
The homeowner checked his security cameras via an app on his phone and saw two men at his home. One of these men was later identified as Cleary.
The windows of two high-value SUVs were smashed and keys for the home were taken.
The homeowner, who was watching his home being burglarised in real time, contacted the gardaí.
When they arrived at the home, they apprehended two men, one of whom was Cleary, holding two bags.
The home had been ransacked.
Four days later, the homeowner identified items recovered by gardai from the bags held by Cleary and his co-accused as items which had been taken.
In total, Cleary entered seven homes. Items such as laptops, phones, alcohol, sunglasses, wallets, jewellery and an iPad were taken.
The court heard that most of the items taken were returned to the owners.
All three investigating gardaí agreed with Keith Spencer BL, defending, that Cleary was stealing items to sell on to feed his drug addiction.
Mr Spencer said his client has been entrenched in drug addiction and had polysubstance difficulties.
He said Cleary is doing well in custody, undertaking courses, and is an enhanced prisoner.
He said the root cause of his client’s offending needs to be explored, and he is currently engaging with services in prison.
He said Cleary had been identified in the past by the Probation Services as someone who needs an intensive supervision regime upon release from custody.
He asked the court to take into account the steps his client is taking while in custody.
Mr Spencer handed in a letter of apology from his client and said he had been doing educational courses while in custody.
He said this was the first time Cleary has been “totally clean” in a long time and he submitted a new direction was on the horizon for his client.