Camera pulled off wall in toilets

A Wicklow man attending a lap-dancing club in Cork took exception to a security camera over a urinal and pulled it off the toilet wall.

Solicitor Maurice O’Connor said it was a moment of madness by the man who was never in trouble of that kind before.

Chris Smith, aged 41, of 2 The Avenue, Downshire Park, Blessington, pleaded guilty to a charge of causing criminal damage at The Great Escape, Leitrim St, Cork. He caused €397 worth of damage by ripping the CCTV camera off the wall on November 4 last year.

Inspector Mary King said management contacted gardaí, who arrived at the scene and later found the defendant on MacCurtain St. Smith came to Cork District Court yesterday to plead guilty to the offence.

Mr O’Connor explained that Smith had been doing a work course in Cork and went out for a few drinks that night with others.

“He thought he would make a complaint in relation to CCTV which was directly above the urinal,” said Mr O’Connor. “He took serious umbrage at this. He felt it was an invasion of privacy. In a moment of madness he jumped up and pulled the camera down.

“He is very embarrassed about the whole incident. Even if the camera was illegal he feels he should have complained to the manager or gone through the data protection route.”

Mr O’Connor added that Smith had brought the full amount of compensation to court for the damage caused.

Judge Con O’Leary said the defendant should pay the premises a bit more on top of that for inconvenience . He suggested a total of €600. That amount was paid immediately and the judge struck out the criminal damage charge, leaving Smith with no conviction.