A man whose brother hanged himself in prison recently has been jailed for seven years for his role in ransacking the home of an 83-year-old woman who was alone. Bernard Cawley's brother, Anthony, who was serving sentences for rapes, took his life in Wheatfield Prison three weeks ago, Mr Erwan Mill-Arden SC, defending, told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Mr Mill-Arden said Bernard Cawley came from a "dysfunctional" family and had had also made attempts on his own life.
Cawley (32), with a former address at the Guinness Brewery Campsite, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to aggravated burglary at St Helen's Road, Booterstown, on October 23rd, 1997.
Sgt Peter Kenny told Mr Brendan Grehan, prosecuting, that Cawley and at least two other men entered the woman's home and threatened her with a knife, ransacked the house, disconnected her phone and took £130 in cash, a tape cassette and a gold bracelet.
Sgt Kenny said the old woman had since sold her home and now lived in a nursing home.
Judge Elizabeth Dunne set a review date for July 29th, 2002, and backdated the sentence to August 11th, 1999. She ordered that he get psychiatric assistance.