Wednesday 28 October 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. 6093Burglary · Co. Cork · 11 Jan 2022

Romanian horse trainer jailed for two and a half years over CEX store burglaries in Cork

Romanian man Ion Barbolescu (34), a horse trainer who lost his job and accommodation during the Covid-19 pandemic, was linked by CCTV footage to two burglaries at a CEX store on the Grand Parade in Cork, on January 11th and May 8th, 2022, in which over €30,000 of electronic equipment was reported stolen. Gardaí also found five similar break-ins at CEX stores in Dublin, Clare and Mayo, and he was arrested in relation to offences in Clare. He signed a guilty plea on December 19th, 2023, and pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of burglary. He was jailed for two and a half years, after a headline sentence of five years was reduced to three and a half for the plea with the final 12 months suspended, as reported on April 16th, 2024.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced16 Apr
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Ion Barbolescu pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of burglary.
  • Over €30,000 worth of electronic equipment was stolen, €17,000 in the first burglary and €14,000 in the second.
Where
The burglaries targeted a CEX store on the Grand Parade in Cork.
When
  • The first burglary took place in the early hours of January 11th, 2022.
  • The second burglary took place on May 8th, 2022.
Other details
  • The first intruder broke in through a hole in the roof, and the second broke in through a wall.
  • He had 17 previous convictions, including five for burglary, and none of the stolen goods were recovered.
Cause
  • He lost his job and accommodation during the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • He became addicted to crack cocaine and turned to theft to feed the habit.
Investigation
  • Gardaí harvested CCTV footage and identified the same suspect for both break-ins.
  • Gardaí found five other similar break-ins at CEX stores in Dublin (two), Clare (two) and Mayo (one).
  • Barbolescu was arrested in relation to offences in Clare and confessed to the Cork burglaries.
Charges
He was charged with two counts of burglary.
In court
He entered a signed guilty plea on December 19th, 2023.
Sentence
The judge set a headline sentence of five years, reduced to three and a half years for the guilty plea, and suspended the final 12 months, so he was jailed for two and a half years.
17 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatIon Barbolescu pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatOver €30,000 worth of electronic equipment was stolen. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatIn the first burglary the intruder broke in through a hole in the roof. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe burglaries targeted a CEX store on the Grand Parade in Cork. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe first burglary took place on January 11th, 2022. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe second burglary took place on May 8th, 2022. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeHe lost his job and accommodation during the Covid-19 pandemic and turned to theft. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeHe became addicted to crack cocaine and turned to crime to feed the habit. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí harvested CCTV footage and identified the same suspect for both break-ins. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí found five other similar break-ins at other CEX stores in Dublin, Clare and Mayo. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationBarbolescu was arrested in relation to offences in Clare. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationHe confessed to the Cork burglaries. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtHe entered a signed guilty plea on December 19th, 2023. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceHe was jailed for two and a half years. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe judge set a headline sentence of five years, reduced to three and a half years for the guilty plea, and suspended the final 12 months. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHe had 17 previous convictions, including five for burglary. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherNone of the stolen goods were recovered. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 16 Apr2024
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Horse trainer turned to crime to feed drug habit after losing job and accommodation during Covid, court hears

    Court report of the sentencing. Gives the sentence, the guilty plea, his cannabis-free drug history and the background of the offences, which are not covered by any existing case in the list.

    convicted, Ion Barbolescu, 34, male, Romanian, named, non-irishIon Barbolescu