‘Goldilocks’ burglar who cooked himself a meal before falling asleep in OAP’s bed avoids jail

Instead of extending his stay in Maghaberry, 22-year-old Lee Heaney was given an early birthday present from Judge Gordon Kerr KC in the form of an enhanced combination order of 60 hours community services and two years on probation.

He warned Heaney, who celebrates his 23rd birthday this Wednesday, the combination order was a “direct alternative” to jail and any breach would see him back in the dock facing a ten month sentence.

In December Heaney, from Mullaghcreevie Park in Armagh, entered a guilty plea to a single count of burglary arising from an incident at a pensioner’s house on 15 December 2021.

In a slightly distorted version of the classic fairytale Heaney let himself into the pensioner’s home, also on Mullaghcreevie Park, helping himself to a chicken burger and alpha bites instead of porridge.

With his belly full, Heaney stripped off and got into a bed that was juuuussstttt right and promptly fell asleep.

However instead of being faced by an angry family of bears, Heaney found himself confronted by an equally angry Mrs Kathleen Casey who remanded to know “who the hell are you and what are you doing in my house?”

In a fit of adrenaline fuelled anger, she chased him out of her house with a brush and sentencing Heaney on Tuesday, Judge Kerr said the incident “could be described as frightening for her.”

In addition to the combination order, the judge also imposed a seven year restraining order in favour of Mrs Casey, advising Heaney to stay away from her and even if “you see her in the street, you would be best to go to the other side.”