Burglar who impersonated garda fails in sentence appeal

Martin Conroy, aged 45, has failed in his appeal against a sentence imposed by Castlebar Circuit Court in June 2018. Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin sentenced Conroy to five years imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended on condition of residential treatment for alcohol addiction, following his conviction for burglary. A further charge of impersonating a garda was taken into consideration. The offence occurred on 12 December 2017 when Conroy broke into a home in Castlebar, County Mayo, and falsely identified himself as a garda to the elderly householder. He fled when asked to produce identification and was subsequently located by gardaí. Conroy pleaded guilty and made full admissions. His legal team argued the sentence was excessive, citing lack of premeditation and his acting alone. However, the Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice John Edwards, upheld the original sentence, finding it not disproportionate given Conroy's 50 previous convictions and the psychological impact on the victim.