A BURGLAR who threatened a woman with a knife has been jailed for three years.
Stephen McCafferty, from Lawnsdale in Ballybofey, appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court today following an ‘horrific’ incident in Stranorlar in April last year.
The court heard McCafferty is currently serving an 18-month sentence for the armed robbery of a Chinese restaurant in March 2011.
Gda Donal Kelly told the court that 24-year-old McCafferty has threatened Mary Gallagher when he broke into her home in Stranorlar at 5am on April 27 last year.
It wasn’t first time McCafferty has robbed Miss Gallagher. He had stolen and damaged her care eight years previously.
“She (the victim) was asleep on the couch and she awoke to see the male standing at the door leading into the sitting room. Ms Gallagher knew him and was able to identify them,” said Gda Kelly.
“He held the knife up to her and demanded money from her,” he told the court.
McCafferty stole Ms Gallagher’s purse containing €40 and bank cards and left the house, threatening his victim as he left not to call Gardai.
Gda Kelly said that when he arrived at the scene in response to a ‘999’ call a few minutes later Ms Gallagher was so distraught she initially refused to open the front door.
The court heard McCafferty had 15 previous convictions.
His sister Amanda told Judge John O’Hagan that her brother had serious drink and drugs problems at the time despite the support of his family.
However since beginning his 18-month prison sentence last November he had changed and wanted to change his life.
McCafferty’s counsel Fiona Crawford said her client was “very focused in attempting to change his pattern of behaviour.”
She also handed in a letter of apology written by McCafferty for 56-year-old Ms Gallagher.
Judge John O’Hagan (pictured) went through McCafferty’s previous convictions and told the court the accused had been given a community service order for previous offences.
McCafferty, he said, had not taken previous chances given to him in the District Court.
He said McCafferty had ‘invaded the home of a fellow citizen’.
“The efforts of the courts to give you a new way of life have been totally rejected by you,” he told McCafferty.
The judge jailed McCafferty for three years.
He said however that McCafferty did need another opportunity.
So he ordered that the last six months of the sentence be suspended.
He also ordered that McCafferty should be the subject of a 12-month supervision order on his release and ordered him to attend a residential addiction course.