A MAN WHO robbed €10,000 worth of items from a house took a taxi from the property he had just burgled to his own home, leading gardaí straight to him.

When gardaí arrived at the man’s home they found him wearing a watch and a jacket that had been stolen from the house he burgled earlier in the day.

Marcus Graham, who was jailed yesterday for four years with the final 12 months suspended, offered the taxi driver a bottle of alcohol he stole during the burglary, as he had no money to pay the fare.

Judge Tom O’Donnell, presiding, noted Graham, of Davin Gardens, Caherdavin, had “an appalling list of previous convictions”, totalling 72, which dated back to 1998.

On 1 August, 2015, Graham, (42), targeted a house at Ashbrook, Ennis Road, Limerick, while the owner was out on an errand.

Among the items stolen were:

• Alcohol
• Passports
• Designer jewellery worth over €2,500, including a Hermes bracelet
• Earrings and watches
• A brass figurine
• Medication
• Children’s clothing
• An iPhone
• An iPod Shuffle
• Ray-Ban sunglasses
• Michael Kors sunglasses
• Car keys
• Ladies’ clothing

Most of the property was recovered.

Judge O’Donnell said Graham was a drug addict and a “recidivist” who carried out crimes “to feed his habit”.

He also noted the burglary was “very distressing” for the homeowner whose property had been “violated” by Graham.

The defendant initially denied any involvement and told gardai the stolen items were given to him as ‘hand-downs’ while he was in custody on other offences.

Judge O’Donnell said Graham was “caught red-handed”.

The judge said he was prepared to suspend the last year of the sentence provided Graham kept the peace and engaged with the probation services for 12 months from the date of his release.

He backdated the three year sentence to 1 August last year.

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