A property developer who broke into a woman’s home and told her she had ten days to leave because he wanted to add her house to his property portfolio, faces a possible prison sentence in March.

John O’Halloran (28), Pier Road, Seapoint, Barna and formerly of St Anthony’s Terrace, Bohermore, pleaded guilty before Galway District Court this week to burglary at a house on Fr. Griffin Road, by entering the house as a trespasser on May 11 last year, where he stole two letters from the lone female occupant.

Inspector Kevin Gately withdrew a charge of criminal damage against O’Halloran following his plea to the burglary charge.

Insp Gately said the woman was woken by a noise downstairs.

She came out of her bedroom to find O’Halloran, whom she didn’t know, standing at the bottom of the stairs.

He told the woman she had ten days to leave the house because he wanted to buy it and he then took two letters belonging to the woman which were in the hallway.

Garda Claire Burke later spoke to O’Halloran and he admitted he had been in the woman’s house.

Judge Mary Fahy asked if there was any particular reason why O’Halloran picked this house.

Insp Gately said O’Halloran wanted to take possession of the house.

Judge Fahy asked why would the accused pick that house above any other house.

Defence solicitor, Olivia Traynor interjected and said – at the risk of causing offence – that the house in question looked like it wasn’t occupied.

She said the house looked like it was boarded up. O’Halloran did a land registry search and got a name, but it was the wrong name.

“He did that on someone’s house that was not for sale?,” Judge Fahy asked bewildered.

Ms Traynor said the Land Registry told her client the house belonged to someone else who had passed away, but he now realised that was not the case.

Judge Fahy said O’Halloran had committed a burglary and she wanted to know why he took two letters belonging to the woman.

Ms Traynor explained he took them because he wanted to see the name and address on the envelopes and he wanted to know the name of the woman who was living in the house.

The woman said O’Halloran broke in through a window and he forced the door open as well.

“He asked me for my name the first time he came in, but the second time he forced his way in, there were three broken windows. I wrote to the Gardai but nothing ever happened.

“The second time he came in, I heard a huge crash and I saw him at the foot of the stairs.

He told me ‘You have ten days to leave your house. You have no right to be here.’

“My house used to be all right but they smashed it up, over and over,” the woman told Judge Fahy.

The judge told Insp Gately she was not happy that he withdrew the criminal damage charge against O’Halloran.

The woman claimed O’Halloran removed a high hedge from her garden when she was in bed one night and her gate was taken as well.

Judge Fahy told the woman the only charge before the court related to O’Halloran committing a burglary at her home and stealing her letters.

Judge Fahy said she wanted to hear a logical explanation why O’Halloran broke into the woman’s house and told her she had ten days to leave.

“He has built up a property portfolio and he thought he could buy the house,” Ms Traynor said.

Insp Gately confirmed O’Halloran had nine previous convictions. One was for a serious assault in 2013, another for a lesser assault in 2010, and the remainder for Public Order offences.

“I’m sitting on the bench for 23 years, and I’ve never heard of such an outrage.

“There is no logical explanation why a person building up a property portfolio would do something like this,” Judge Fahy said.

O’Halloran replied: “It’s an absolute mistake and I tried to take shortcuts. I can’t tell this lady how much I’m sorry.”

“And I can’t tell you how much I don’t believe you,” the woman replied.

O’Halloran said he had brought €1,250 to court for the woman.

Ms Traynor said her client was well aware that part of his bail conditions were that he stay away from the woman and her property.

Judge Fahy told the woman she was not obliged to take the money if she didn’t want to.

“Would it preclude any further action I might take against him?”, the woman asked.

Judge Fahy said it would have no bearing if she decided to take a civil action against O’Halloran.

The woman accepted the money, saying that the windows and hedge needed to be replaced.

Judge Fahy advised the woman that if anyone else tried to damage her house, she was to contact the Gardai immediately.

She warned O’Halloran that a charge of burglary normally carried a prison sentence in her court.

“Thank you judge. I appreciate being allowed to speak,” the woman said.

Judge Fahy told the woman Garda Burke would assist her in lodging the money in a bank and in getting her house in order.

She advised the Gardai to put the woman in touch with a victim support group as well.

Judge Fahy then adjourned the matter to March 20 for a Garda Behaviour Report on O’Halloran and for a further €500 in compensation for the woman.

Bail was granted on condition O’Halloran stay away from the woman, her home and from the entire Fr. Griffin Road area.

The judge warned the accused he was looking at a prison sentence or a suspended sentence.