Student went to bed drunk — in wrong house

A young couple and their child, aged 6, had the terrifying experience of waking up in the early hours to find a stranger getting into bed in one of their rooms.

Judge Leo Malone referred to the “fright” experienced by anyone whose home was burgled, as was highlighted in recent high-profile court cases.

However, the trespassing case before Cork District Court yesterday was of a different nature.

It was committed by a student aged 19, who had never been in trouble previously, and who had no criminal intention on the night he got into bed in the family’s home on Old Blackrock Rd, Cork.

Solicitor Shane Collins-Daly explained that the youngster simply went home to the wrong house. What caused his confusion was far too much alcohol consumed with college friends.

Shayne Barrett of Srelane, Lackabawn, Donoughmore, was on a night out on April 23. The family arrangement was that he would reside at his grandmother’s house at Old Blackrock Rd, but he entered another family’s home some distance away.

Detective Garda Ian Coughlan said the student went upstairs and started to get into bed. As soon as he was confronted by the family, he left without causing any further difficulty.

Arrested a short time later, it took several hours for him to sober up. Once he had done so, gardaí asked him about what he had done and he had no memory of it.

Mr Collins-Daly said: “He did not realise what he had done until he was told by gardaí when he sobered up. He got an awful shock.”

First-time offenders regularly receive an adult caution from a senior garda, rather than being prosecuted, but the matter could not be considered because of the seriousness of the charge — trespass at the home.

Judge Leo Malone said “we all make mistakes when we are young” and dismissed the charge under the Probation of Offenders Act after payment of €500 to charity.