A 30-year-old man has been handed a prison sentence after targeting a vulnerable pensioner inside a North Belfast sheltered housing fold. Martin Moore, whose address was given as Fianna House in Belfast, appeared before Belfast Crown Court where he was sentenced for his role in the distressing January break-in.
The court heard that around 8pm on January 11, a 65-year-old resident was at home when he answered a knock at his front door. While he did not recognise one of the two men standing outside, he knew Moore, who asked him for cigarettes. As the resident turned back toward his home, the pair barged inside uninvited.
Once inside, the intruders demanded cash from the householder. In a bid to intimidate him, Moore's accomplice falsely claimed there were associates waiting outside with a firearm. After the pensioner explained he had no money to offer, Moore told him to have £200 waiting when they returned in a few days. The pair then made off with £18 in cash, two packets of cigarettes, and the victim's mobile phone.
A vigilant neighbour had spotted a third individual pacing outside the fold just before seeing two men emerge and run off toward North Queen Street, appearing visibly intoxicated as they stumbled over a kerb. Upon learning that the resident's phone had been taken, the neighbour immediately got into her car and pursued the suspects. She caught up with them at the entrance to the New Lodge, courageously confronting them and demanding the device back. The men handed over the phone before running off up Duncairn Gardens, allowing the phone to be safely returned to its owner.
Moore was arrested two days later and subsequently pleaded guilty to burglary. Crown barrister David McNeill highlighted the victim's vulnerability as an aggravating factor, pointing out that the pensioner had been targeted while alone in his own home.
A deeply affecting victim impact statement revealed the lasting toll the crime has taken on the North Belfast resident. The court heard he now struggles to sleep, finds it difficult to trust people, has installed a video doorbell, and wedges heavy blocks of wood against his front door every evening to feel secure. In a poignant display of grace, the pensioner also voiced sympathy for Moore and the destructive impact drug addiction has had on his life.
Judge Gordon Kerr KC took into account defence submissions regarding Moore's long-standing struggles with substance abuse and homelessness, acknowledging the crime was unsophisticated. However, he stressed the severe trauma and fear inflicted upon the victim. Judge Kerr imposed a 22-month sentence—divided equally between custody and licence—with an additional three months added for breaching a previous suspended sentence.