Olivia Kelleher
A burglar in his 50s who broke his back jumping from the window of a house in Cork after the owner disturbed him during the course of a robbery has been jailed for 10 months.
Michael O'Callaghan of Island View, Carrignvar, Co Cork appeared before Cork District Court having broken into the home of a mother of three at Seanabothair, Killeens, Co Cork on July 24th, 2021.
He stole a mobile phone watch and laptop, but the owner came home as he was stealing from the property.
Mr O'Callaghan jumped from an upstairs window and the owner of the house heard him shout: "I think I have broken my leg." He managed to make his way from the scene, but was subsequently arrested.
Judge Olann Kelleher heard from Joe Cuddigan, solicitor for the 56-year-old. Mr Cuddigan said his client sustained far more serious injuries than the homeowner realised.
"He had broken his back jumping out of the house he was burgling. He is now using crutches and wearing a body brace all the time. Chronic pain will be with him forever and a day."
Mr Cuddigan said Mr O'Callaghan's days of committing burglaries were now "beyond him."
"He is on continuing pain medication and he has a rather grim future ahead of him."
'Result of his own criminality'
Judge Kelleher said he was being asked to factor the injuries of the defendant into consideration when imposing sentence in the case: "But the circumstances of his injury were completely as a result of his own criminality. There is no stopping this man. He continues to burgle, assault and sell drugs."
Mr O'Callaghan has over 80 previous convictions and is currently serving a four-year sentence for drug dealing.
Judge Kelleher imposed a ten-month prison sentence which he directed would run consecutively to the sentence that O'Callaghan is currently serving.
O'Callaghan had entered a guilty plea to three counts of burglary and appeared in court via video link.
The three counts included the burglary in Killeens, as well as a burglary at Buckley's shop on the northside of Cork city last November and the smashing of a window of a house in Blarney, Co Cork in order to commit a robbery in July,2021.
