Ireland Darren Hayes, 50, jailed for burglary and theft of €21,929 in laptops and phones in Dublin
Darren Hayes, a 50-year-old man, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of burglary and seven counts of criminal damage after €21,929 worth of laptops and iPhones were stolen from unoccupied office premises in the Baggot Street area of Dublin between September 6 and October 15, 2023. He forced entry by kicking or barging doors and caused several thousand euro worth of damage, including ransacking a hair salon. A co-accused man was also charged but has fled the jurisdiction. Hayes, who has 140 previous convictions including one for rape, was sentenced on 15 January 2026 by Judge Orla Crowe at the Criminal Courts of Justice to three years and four months, with the final year suspended.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced15 Jan
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Hayes burgled unoccupied office premises at night, forcing doors by kicking or barging, and took €21,929 worth of laptops and iPhones.
- Several thousand euro worth of damage was done, mainly to doors, and a hair salon was completely ransacked with much of the equipment destroyed.
- None of the stolen property was recovered.
- Where
- The offences took place in the Baggot Street area of Dublin.
- When
- The offences were committed between September 6 and October 15, 2023.
- Charges
- Hayes pleaded guilty to 10 counts of burglary and seven counts of criminal damage.
- In court
- The case was heard at the Criminal Courts of Justice, Dublin, before Judge Orla Crowe.
- Sentence
- Hayes was sentenced to three years and four months, with the final year suspended, giving an effective custodial term of two years and four months.
- Investigation
- A co-accused man was also charged but has fled the jurisdiction.
- Other details
- Hayes was on bail at the time of the offences and has 140 previous convictions, including one for rape from the Central Criminal Court.
- Hayes was living outside of hostels at the time and had a chronic drug addiction aggravated in 2023 by the death of his father.
20 statements extracted from the articles
- whatHe carried out the offences at old-style office premises when they were unoccupied at night. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe forced the doors by kicking or barging. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatSeveral thousand euro worth of damage was done, mainly to doors. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe hair salon was completely ransacked with much of the equipment destroyed. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThey left with €21,929 worth of laptops and iPhones. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatNone of the stolen property was recovered. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe offences took place in the Baggot Street area of Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe offences were committed between September 6 and October 15, 2023. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeHayes pleaded guilty to 10 counts of burglary and seven counts of criminal damage. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe case was heard at the Criminal Courts of Justice, Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceJudge Orla Crowe imposed a sentence of three years and four months, with the final year suspended. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe other man was also charged but has fled the jurisdiction. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHayes was on bail at the time of the offences. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe has 140 previous convictions. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHis previous convictions include one for rape from the Central Criminal Court. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe is currently serving a sentence for a number of burglaries. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe had a chronic drug addiction aggravated in 2023 by the death of his father. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe had lost a friend who froze to death in a tent. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe was living outside of hostels at the time. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHis Central Criminal Court conviction made it impossible for him to secure accommodation. (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 15 Jan2026Convicted rapist jailed for theft of more than €20k worth of laptops and phones
Sentencing details: effective custodial term of two years and four months; mitigating factors of chronic drug addiction and homelessness; aggravating factor of 140 previous convictions including rape; co-accused fled the jurisdiction.
convicted, Darren Hayes, 50, male, named, irish (judged from name)Darren Hayesaccused, male