Court hears teen stole keys, cash and a car from homes in Tipperary

A teenager has appeared before Nenagh District Court for breaking into several homes in Newport and stealing the homeowner’s car keys, cash and a vehicle.

Joey Bermingham (19) of 22 Cill Padraig, Newport pleaded guilty to burglary, taking a vehicle without permission and theft at four addresses in Newport in October and November 2023.

Sergeant Regina McCarthy told the court that on October 24, 2023, the occupant of a house in Newport came downstairs to find the kitchen door open and their car keys and €20 in cash missing. Gardaí did not recover the property. 

On the same day, Mr Bermingham entered another address through the backdoor and took a key for a van but did not take the vehicle. The property in this case was recovered, the court heard.

Sgt McCarthy told the court that on November 11, 2023, at another address, the injured party left their car running and went back into their home. When they came back out the car was turned off and the key was missing.

The defendant was identified from CCTV. The value of the key was €150 and it was not recovered.

In a fourth incident on November 12, 2023, the court heard that the defendant entered a property in Newport through a rear door and took the key for their car from a rack.

This time the defendant took the car which was later found in Limerick. The value of the key was €75 and was not recovered.

YOUTH

Acting for the defendant, solicitor John Spencer told the court his client did “not understand the seriousness of the matter.”

He said his client is 19 years old with no previous convictions. He was however ordered by a court in Limerick to attend a victim empathy course in another matter.

Mr Spencer said his client was “only starting out in life” and intended to take up a carpentry apprenticeship.

VIOLATION

Judge Fiona Brennan said the defendant these were “very serious matters” and the defendant had been lucky they were being dealt with in District Court. 

She said she was particularly concerned that in one incident the injured party was in the house.

Judge Brennan said the defendant had “violated” the person’s home where they “were entitled to feel safe.”

The judge put the matter back to the Nenagh District Court sitting on November 8 for an up-to-date probation report.