Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 21833Burglary (trespass and theft) · Co. Dublin · 15 Mar 2010

Polish man sentenced for 2010 Rathgar burglary after European DNA match

Tomasz Bebenek, 34, was sentenced to 18 months at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a burglary at a house in Rathgar in March 2010, after his blood left at the scene was matched to a UK DNA database following a 2019 change in European DNA sharing procedures.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced21 Mar
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
18 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatBebenek left blood at the crime scene (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe stolen items had a combined value of €1,080 (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe burglary occurred on 15 March 2010 (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationA 2019 change in European DNA sharing procedures allowed gardaí to check DNA samples against other EU countries (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeBebenek pleaded guilty to one count of trespass and theft (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceJudge Martin Nolan sentenced him to 18 months (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe sentence was backdated to September 2022 (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe UK was still part of the EU in 2019 when the match was made (irishtimes.com)
  • otherNone of the stolen items were recovered (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe injured parties declined to provide a victim impact statement (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBebenek has 44 previous convictions (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHe is in custody awaiting a European Arrest Warrant (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHe is wanted in Poland in relation to other matters (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBebenek moved to Ireland in 2005 (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHe has a good work history in the Irish construction industry (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHe has a history of drug addiction (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHe does not recall the 2010 burglary and told gardaí his life was in turmoil at the time (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 21 Mar2023
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Man responsible for 2010 Rathgar burglary caught after DNA sharing deal

    Reports the guilty plea and 18-month sentence (backdated to September 2022) for a 2010 Rathgar burglary, solved via a European DNA database match in 2019. Bebenek, who has 44 previous convictions, is also in custody awaiting a European Arrest Warrant to Poland.

    convicted, Tomasz Bebenek, 34, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Tomasz Bebenekvictim