Burglar punched priest in jaw

By Sonya McClean 

A MAN who was one of three burglars who raided an elderly priest’s home will be sentenced next November.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that one of Edward Travers’ co-accused punched the 66-year-old clergyman to the jaw after he told the intruders to get out of his house.

The priest had been on the phone when there was a knock to his door. He didn’t get to answer it before Travers, along with a man and a woman, kicked it in. They were trying to raid the priest’s office when the sacristan from the nearby church noticed an unusual car outside the parochial house and went in to investigate.

The burglars fled the house but the sacristan was able to get the registration of the getaway car. Travers was nominated as a suspect as the burglary was caught on CCTV and he was arrested the following year.

Travers (24), of The View, Millbrook Lawns, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to burglary on December 2, 2013. His 70 previous convictions include theft, drugs, public order, assault, road traffic offences and burglary.

Judge Melanie Greally adjourned the case to November 25, next for sentence. She ordered a probation report and urine analysis for that date having heard evidence that Travers was now drug-free.

Garda Thomas Conway told Maurice Coffey BL, prosecuting that the priest had some bruising to his face which took a few weeks to heal.

A victim impact report before the court stated that he no longer felt safe in his home and had upgraded his security. Gda Conway said the priest was shook by the burglary and felt isolated in his home.

He agreed with Thomas Pearse BL, defending that Travers came from a dysfunctional background and had spent a lot of time in custody.

Garda Conway accepted that Travers looked better today than he did at the time of his arrest.

Mr Pearse said his client was now drug-free and disgusted by his behaviour. He had done an anger management course since his remand in prison.