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. 4662Burglary · Co. Dublin · 12 Feb 2025

Serial burglar Terry Ward jailed for four years over Dublin city centre burglaries

Terry Ward (36) is a serial burglar who used a beer keg and street furniture to break into business premises in Dublin city centre. On July 20th, 2024, he broke into a business on Baggot Street, Dublin 2, and took two laptops worth €3,000, and gardaí arrested him the following night while he was trying to sell one to a rickshaw driver. He was on bail for the earlier offences when he carried out the February 2025 burglaries, and he pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Orla Crowe jailed him for four years, with the final year of a five-year term suspended and the sentence backdated to February 2025, and Ward has said he will appeal.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced6 Nov
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Ward used a beer keg and street furniture to break into business premises in Dublin city centre.
Where
On July 20th, 2024, Ward broke into a business on Baggot Street, Dublin 2, and took two laptops worth €3,000 in total.
When
Ward carried out a spate of burglaries in the Dublin 2 area on the night of February 12th, 2025.
Charges
  • Sources differ on the February 2025 burglaries: one says six were carried out, while the court report says he pleaded guilty to burglaries on two dates, July 20th, 2024 and February 12th, 2025.
  • Ward was on bail for the earlier offences when he carried out the February 2025 burglaries.
Cause
Ward smashed the window of the Duke pub using street fencing, causing €2,000 in damage.
Weapon
Ward used a beer keg to smash the window of the Hyde pub on Lennon Street.
Other details
  • Ward broke into the unoccupied home of an elderly woman and took her earrings and some medication.
  • During one burglary in a three-hour period, Ward stole a tip jar containing €50 from a pub.
  • Ward was intoxicated when gardaí arrested him on the night of the February 2025 burglaries.
  • Ward has 176 previous convictions, including 22 for burglaries in Ireland and 17 for burglaries in the UK.
  • Ward said he would appeal the sentence.
Investigation
Gardaí arrested Ward the following night, after the July 2024 burglary, while he was trying to sell a laptop to a rickshaw driver.
In court
Ward pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Orla Crowe.
Sentence
  • Judge Crowe imposed concurrent two-year sentences for the earlier offences and three-year sentences for the 2025 burglaries, to run consecutively, with the final year of the five-year term suspended on condition that Ward keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two years, and backdated the sentence to February 2025.
  • Ward must engage with the Probation Service for two years after release, particularly regarding addiction services.
16 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA serial burglar used a beer keg and street furniture to break into business premises in Dublin city centre. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereOn July 20th, 2024, Ward broke into a business on Baggot Street, Dublin 2, and took two laptops worth €3,000 in total. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeWard smashed the window of the Duke pub using street fencing, causing €2,000 in damage. (irishtimes.com)
  • weaponWard used a beer keg to smash the window of the Hyde pub on Lennon Street. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí arrested Ward the following night while he was trying to sell one of the laptops to a rickshaw driver. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeWard pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglaries on two dates. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeWard was on bail for the earlier offences when he carried out the six burglaries in February 2025. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceJudge Orla Crowe imposed concurrent two-year sentences for the earlier offences and three-year sentences for the 2025 burglaries, to run consecutively. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe final year of the five-year term was suspended on condition that Ward keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two years. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceWard was ordered to engage with the Probation Service for two years after his release, particularly regarding addiction services. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe judge agreed to backdate the sentence to February 2025, as Ward had been in custody since his arrest. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherWard also broke into the unoccupied home of an elderly woman and took her earrings and some medication. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherDuring one burglary in a three-hour period, Ward stole a tip jar containing €50 from a pub. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherWard was intoxicated when gardaí arrested him on the night of the February 2025 burglaries. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherWard has 176 previous convictions, including 22 for burglaries in Ireland and 17 for burglaries in the UK. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherWard said he would appeal the sentence. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 6 Nov2025
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Serial burglar who used beer keg to break into premises jailed for four years

    Reports the sentencing of Terry Ward for burglaries in Dublin 2 in July 2024 and February 2025. No existing case in the list matches this sentencing.

    convicted, Terry Ward, 36, named, irish (judged from name)Terry Ward