Man trying to get into house thought he was going to party

Members of a family in Crosshaven called the gardaí when they were frightened by a man who appeared to be trying to get into their home in the early hours of the morning, but he claimed he was on his way to a party and got confused.

Insp Gary McPolin said the incident occurred at Lower Rd, Crosshaven, Co Cork. Gardaí Gerard Melvin and Declan Healy responded to a call in relation to a suspected break-in and it soon materialised that it had not been the case.

“He staggered from outside the house. Gardaí asked him who he was and it was quite obvious he was intoxicated. The occupants of the house came out of their house. I think he was so intoxicated he did not know where he was or whose house he was at.

“He became verbally abusive to gardaí. He was conveyed to Togher Garda Station,” Insp McPolin said.

Killian Collins, aged 36, of 58 Carrigmore, Carrigaline, Co Cork, yesterday pleaded guilty to being threatening and abusive and being drunk and a source of danger to himself or others during the incident at 6am on July 11, 2014.

Judge Con O’Leary asked the defendant: “What do you have to say about frightening people in Crosshaven trying to get in to their house?”

Mr Collins said: “I was down at a party in Crosshaven. I had no idea where I was. I think I got confused.”

The judge said his objective in imposing a penalty was to discourage the defendant from frightening people in this manner again. Collins said he had no intention of doing so again.

The judge said he would adjourn the case for a month and strike out the charges if the defendant paid €250 to the Court Charity Fund and another €250 to the Garda Benevolent Fund.