Burglar with two-foot blade jailed for terrifying student house raid

Tom Tuite

A machete-wielding burglar who wore a "devil" mask when he led a violent gang raid on an Athlone student house has been jailed for five and a half years.

Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court heard how terrified students were awoken in the middle of the night as raiders, including one armed with a baseball bat, broke in and smashed through doors.

The property was mistakenly targeted and ransacked for drugs and cash.

The gang of four fled minutes later as the "main protagonist", Quintan Ncube, 24, who was brandishing a two-foot blade, shouted, "F**k, wrong house".

Zimbabwe-born Ncube, of no fixed address, and business student Oluwadamilare Adeniyi, 20, of Church Hills Road, Coosan, Athlone, Co Westmeath, both pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary where masked raiders ransacked the house on April 19th, 2024.

Ncube, who was in custody on remand pending the sentence hearing and described as having a "fractured" family background, told his probation officer he would revert to offending if let out.

Judge Keenan Johnson said it must have been a terrifying experience for the occupants.

He also remarked that it seemed clear the three co-defendants were "led on the route to criminality by Ncube". Unlike him, they expressed remorse and cooperated with the investigation.

Michal Pawtowska, 23, originally from Poland but who had lived at Auburn Heights, Athlone, pleaded guilty to a less serious burglary charge.

His 27-year-old sister, Katarzyna Pawtowska, a trained beautician, was the getaway driver. The mother of two, who formerly resided at the same address as her brother, admitted to interfering with an investigation; she was found to be the least culpable.

The Pawtowskas and Adeniyi came forward from the District Court on early signed pleas, which added to their mitigation.

Judge Johnson imposed a six-year sentence on Ncube but suspended the final six months, compelling him to be of good behaviour for three years post-release with probation supervision, attending counselling and staying off illegal drugs and alcohol.

Adeniyi was handed a three-year, six-month jail term, but the judge suspended 18 months, requiring two years post-release and supervision.

Michal Pawtowska, who has been seeking an electrician's apprenticeship, was described as "out of his depth" and involved in the crime due to cannabis use.

He received a three-year sentence with 18 months suspended on the same terms as Adeniyi.

Katarzyna Pawtowska walked free from court on a fully suspended two-year sentence with conditions for five years.

The court heard the group had been drinking and taking drugs before the incident.

Garda Conor Murphy told the court that three students in the house at 2am heard banging at the back door and the kitchen area. One of them was in his room upstairs, and he heard screaming and more banging.

A man wearing a devil mask, revealed to be Ncube, wielded a machete and demanded, "Where's the food?", referring to drugs.

Adeniyi, clad in a balaclava, kicked in his door with a baseball bat. A student's phone was stolen.

A second resident, whose girlfriend was in bed, tried to get dressed and dial 999 when the machete, 24-26 inches in length, "came through the door".

The hole was opened up by kicking, and his room was searched. He told gardaí, "I was in fear for my life".

Another frightened resident hid under a duvet.

The evidence showed extensive damage to the house, and a wallet was taken.

Michal Pawtowska, a former hotel worker, remained downstairs; his sister waited in Adeniyi’s car, and she drove them to and from the crime scene.

Neighbours saw the three burglars leaving and filmed them on a phone, but were threatened. Gardaí also obtained footage from 35 locations in the area.

Gardaí found the knife with a serrated edge under Katarzyna Pawtowska's bed two days later.

Shop worker Adeniyi was cooperative and apologetic. He told gardaí that Ncube and Michal Pawtowska asked him to get involved, and "he felt he could not refuse".

He admitted he had the bat and balaclava. Gardaí learned they went to the house intending to steal cannabis and money.

Katarzyna Pawtowska realised what had happened when Ncube returned to the car, saying they had targeted the wrong house.

She allowed the knife to be hidden under her bed, had mental health difficulties, but changed her peer group and moved to Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon.

Michal Pawtowska admitted he went along with the plan, motivated by the belief there were drugs in the house.

When interviewed by gardaí, Ncube made denials but later pleaded guilty in court. He had worked as a labourer and a warehouse worker but was jobless at the time of the incident.

He had 22 prior convictions, mainly public order offences, as well as burglary, robbery, criminal damage and violent disorder.

He had received 240 hours of community service and an €800 compensation order in earlier violent disorder and robbery cases.

The co-defendants had no criminal record before this case.