A Bohermore man who was so “plastered” drunk that he managed to wander into a house unnoticed by the frightened tenants, only to fall asleep in the kitchen, was fined €500 at Galway District Court this week.
Anthony Sweeney (28 ) with an address given as 19 Liam Mellows Terrace, Bohermore, appeared before Judge Mary Fahy last Monday and pleaded guilty to trespassing at a house at Plunkett Avenue, Mervue, in such a manner as to cause fear in another person.
Inspector Pat McHugh told the court that at 1.40am on October 21, 2008, Garda Hugh Rodgers received a call to go to the house where the two female occupants were “very fearful” after a man had entered the premises. When Garda Rodgers arrived and conducted a search he found the defendant asleep in the kitchen. When he awoke Sweeney failed to give a reason for being there. Inspector McHugh added that there had been no sign of a break in.
Defence solicitor Valerie Corcoran said that her client had “no idea how he ended up there” and had no recollection. “He was plastered drunk,” she added.
The court also heard how Sweeney had started taking drugs and alcohol after seperating from his wife. Ms Corcoran said that the defendant had now reconciled with his wife and had recently moved to Castlebar to be with her.
Inspector McHugh said that the defendant had 31 previous convictions which included public order offences in January 2008 and a number of road traffic offences in 2002. He added that the defendant had got in the house “unnoticed by the tenants”.
Judge Fahy said that although the incident had been “frightening” for the tenants Sweeney did not intentially enter the house to steal or to commit burglary. She convicted and fined him €500 with three months to pay.
