She found him robbing her house at 6am and he just showed her his police badge

Police custody picture of Jordan Hennessy
-Credit: (Image: South Wales Police)


A burglar brazenly pretended to be policeman when challenged by one of his victims, a court has heard. Jordan Hennessy showed the female householder what appeared to be a "police badge" after being discovered in her kitchen early in the morning.

The break-in was one of four carried out by Hennessy in just five days as part of what his barrister called "an eight-day spree to fund a desperate habit". During the burglaries the 25-year-old defendant stole a haul of personal items from laptops containing university work to family jewellery and two cars - but it would be the tracking technology on one of the vehicles which led to his arrest. Cardiff Crown Court heard Hennessy has 24 previous offences on his record including inflicting grievous bodily harm, an offence which saw him stabbing his stepfather with a breadknife during an argument on their doorstep.

The court heard the defendant burgled four properties in the Roath area of Cardiff in five days in May this year stealing a long list of items including a games console, cash, a passport, jewellery, phones, laptops, bank cards, and car keys. In one of the houses he was disturbed by the female householder in the kitchen of the property at around 6am, and when challenged he claimed to be a police officer and showed her what the woman took to be a "police badge".

READ MORE: Van driver tailgated 999 ambulance to get through traffic

READ MORE: Asylum hostel protestor assaulted policeman and threatening to 'f****** have him'

The court heard two of the victims of the burglaries were university students and the laptops Hennessy stole contained important course work. From two of the victims the defendant used stolen car keys to also steal their vehicles from outside their properties. The first vehicle stolen by Hennessy, a Vauxhall Zafira, was subsequently caught on CCTV being driven by the defendant near Cardiff's Huggard homeless centre but has never been recovered. The second - a Vauxhall Mokka - led to the defendant being arrested after the owner gave police tracking information for the car which allowed them to locate both him and the vehicle on Christina Street in Butetown.

In impact statements read to the court all the burglary victims talked about the anxiety and worry and the loss of feelings of security that had been caused by the break-ins. One said she was now thinking of leaving Cardiff, while another said the jewellery stolen by Hennessy was of great sentimental value and some of the pieces were family heirloom items which she had been planning to pass on to younger generations.

Jordan Hennessy, of no fixed abode, had previously pleaded guilty to four counts of burglary, two counts of theft of a motor vehicle, two counts of driving while disqualified, two counts of driving with no insurance, and two counts of fraud - using the stolen bank cards in shops - when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He had also previously pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage and two counts of theft from a motor vehicle - these offences related to the defendant smashing car windows in the Pellett Street car park and stealing items from within on May 11.

The defendant has eight previous convictions for 24 offences including burglary, taking vehicles without consent, aggravated vehicle-taking, and driving while disqualified. In 2020 he was sentenced to 34 months in prison for inflicting grievous bodily harm and possession of a knife after stabbing his stepfather with a bred knife during a row.

Kirsten Murphy, for Hennessy, said while not an excuse for this behaviour the defendant had experienced a "troubled upbringing" with his mother being jailed for neglect and then her client going through 52 different foster homes and placements between the ages of 11 and 18. She said after leaving the care system the defendant began experimenting with drugs and progressed from using cannabis to taking heroin and crack cocaine as a "coping mechanism" for the pain and trauma. She said the offences before the court had been committed in "an eight-day spree to fund a desperate habit" but said since being remanded into custody on May 21 the defendant had completed no less than 68 courses in prison, had sought support from the prison chaplainry, and was taking steps to rehabilitate himself. She added the defendant was remorseful for his actions and was "truly disgusted" by what he had done. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter here.

Judge Paul Hobson said dwelling burglary was a particularly serious offence because its impact went beyond the monetary value of items stolen and was an invasion of people's homes and their privacy, and he said the disruption, distress and loss Hennessy had caused had all been to fund his Class A drug habit. He said he had read a letter from the defendant and accepted he was remorseful, and he told told him that he was still a relatively young man "it is not too late for you to make something positive of your life".

With one-third discounts for his guilty pleas Hennessy was sentenced to 32 months in prison. Since September 2024 most defendants must serve 40 per cent of their sentences in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community, Hennessy was also disqualified from driving for a total of three years.

This interactive tool allows you to check the latest crime statistics for your area: