Trespasser used house key on another home

An eight-month jail term was imposed yesterday on a man who trespassed in a house after successfully using the key for his own front door in the house in another part of Cork City.

At Cork District Court, the defendant got a four-month jail term for that count of trespassing but received a concurrent eight-month sentence for obstructing Sergeant Mick Kelleher and trying to pull off his shirt after his arrest for trespassing.

The key for McCarthy’s own house, at 93 Churchfield Avenue, worked in the front door of another house in Lotabeg, said Frank Buttimer, defending.

McCarthy had a row at home in Churchfield earlier that night and went to Upper Lotabeg where a relative lives. He believed he was welcome there.

The owner of the house called the gardaí at 5.30am on February 1 when he discovered McCarthy had let himself in and gone to sleep in the house.

Garda Ray Ryan woke McCarthy and escorted him from the house.

McCarthy got aggressive on the way to Mayfield Garda Station and continued to be violent at the station. He tore off Sgt Mick Kelleher’s shirt and tried to punch and bite other gardaí present.

Mr Buttimer said the accused was on medication at the time and he also went drinking.

He got into a row with his partner, whom the solicitor described as someone who was a great support to the defendant.

McCarthy pleaded guilty to trespassing and being obstructive to gardaí at Mayfield Garda Station

.