A Dublin man, with 91 previous convictions, was found rifling through a trolley full of drugs before tresspassing in a private area of University Hospital Galway, the Galway District Court heard this week.
Trevor Mooney (39 ) with an address at 69 Moatview Avenue, Priorswood, Dublin 17, denied the charge of tresspass at the Clinical Science Building, UHG, with intent to commit an offence on July 4, 2010.
In court on Monday, Keith Moggan, a member of security at UHG, gave evidence that a call was received from the A&E department regarding a man who was seen “rifling” through one of the drugs trolley. Mr Moggan said that when he arrived he saw two men, including the defendant, in the Clinical Science department, an area which the general public are not allowed in to. He approached the two suspicious-looking men and escorted them off the premises before gardai arrived to arrest them.
Under cross-examination by defence solicitor Brendan O’Connor the witness said that the doors to the Clinical Science department were “coded” but admitted that they could have been left open at the time. However, he then added that it was unusual for the doors to be open and that you have to go through a long corridor to get to them. Mr Moggan then said that the other individual had been more abusive and that the CCTV only covered the A&E department and not the area they were found in.
Sgt Brendan Moore gave evidence that he had been contacted by security and that he arrested Mooney in the car park. He said that the defendant gave two false names before eventually giving his real identity at the station.
When the defendant took the stand he said: “I followed him [his companion] in knowing that he was intoxicated. I was concerned for his well being, if anything happened to him. I was trying to get him out because he didn’t realise what he was doing”.
Inspector Sean Glynn put it to the defendant that if he was concerned why didn’t he seek help. Mooney replied that the security men had told them to leave. “I wasn’t aware we were in a private part [of the hospital],” said Mooney who added that he kept “pulling, dragging, and shoving” the other man to get him out of there.
“Why did you give a wrong name if you were not doing anything wrong,’ asked Judge Mary Fahy to which Mooney replied: “I guess I was silly”.
Mr O’Connor said that it has been accepted that the area could have been opened and that anybody could have just simply walked through A&E and gained access to the hospital.
“I don’t accept any of it. Nobody can be allowed to walk all around the hospital where there are all types of drugs. The only access is for students. They obviously saw a chance,” said Judge Fahy.
Inspector Glynn then told the court that the defendant has 91 previous convictions, which include a three month sentence suspended for two years imposed in March of this year for entering a building with intent.
Judge Fahy convicted the defendant and remanded him in custody to appear at a court in Dublin on November 25 next for the possible reactivation of the previous conviction sentence before the matter is returned to Galway for finalisation.
