First-time burglar broke his ankles in jump from Dublin building

Wayne Connors (23) also shattered a heel and had to be taken to hospital after the bungled break-in at a Dublin city centre trade union headquarters.

He had a debt from a tablet addiction and had been told that he had “better get the money or else”, a court heard.

Connors, of Markievicz House, Pearse Street, pleaded guilty to burglary at Mandate’s head office on Cavendish Row, along with a series of separate theft, public order and criminal damage offences.

Judge Bryan Smyth adjourned the case for a probation report.

Dublin District Court heard it was reported that there was an intruder at the trade union’s offices at 12.25am on October 8, 2019.

When gardaí arrived, Connors jumped out of a window and was arrested.

He had to be taken to hospital for treatment for injuries he sustained due to the height of the fall, the court heard.

He suffered two broken ankles and a shattered heel, which required surgery.

Connors had previous convictions but none for burglary.

Defence solicitor Aonghus McCarthy said the accused’s background was the “most tragic set of circumstances I have come across”.

When Connors was a child, his father was killed in a road accident, and later his young sister died in a fire. Connors had tried to save his sister but was unable to do so.

The accused’s mother had also passed away.

Connors was a very talented boxer but when he began to “take a drink”, his life “descended into a little bit of chaos”. After he was jailed for assault, he came out of prison with a tablet addiction.

The accused was “angry with life because he hasn’t been dealt a fair hand”, Mr McCarthy said.

Connors had never burgled before , Mr McCarthy added.