Father & Son Jailed For Burglaries

A father and son from Northern Ireland have been jailed for a series of burglary, aggravated burglary, assault and driving offences.

James Hanrahan, 46, and his 28-year-old son John Hanrahan were handed four and five years respectively at Newry Crown Court yesterday, Wednesday 26 June.

They also each received Violent Offender Prevention Orders to run for seven years. The father and son duo committed their offences in a number of locations across the county between October 2017 and March 2018.

Two cars seized from the men were ruled to be sold at auction, with the proceeds divided amongst their victims.

Detective Constable McAteer from the PSNI's Criminal Investigation Division welcomed the sentencing. He said: "The sentencing today is a reflection of the tireless and persistent investigation by detectives in our Criminal Investigation Department/Bureau and their expertise in unravelling complex evidence from a number of crime scenes.

"I would also like to thank the victims and witnesses who worked with us through this protracted investigation to ensure that we had all the necessary evidence to ensure a conviction. The aftermath of burglary is not just about belongings or items that were stolen, it can leave a deep emotional scar on those who have had their privacy torn away and the safety of their home invaded. I sincerely hope that the sentencing today brings some comfort and closure to the victims of these individuals.

"The victims in some of these incidents were elderly and vulnerable. I want to reassure everyone in our community that we will continue in our efforts to make Northern Ireland a safer place to live and work by proactively investigating and arresting people involved in criminality. I hope that the sentence today will act as a deterrent to others. 

"Let me be clear to those who continue to involve themselves in criminality; We will continue to actively seek out anyone who targets members of our community in this way and bring them before the courts."



(JG/CM)