‘What does he expect wandering around armed, kicking in doors?’

A Ballincollig man who was experiencing paranoia and who believed his mobile phone was affecting electrical devices terrified an elderly woman and her adult daughter by kicking in their front door.

There was no explanation for why David Barry of Innismore Court, Ballincollig, Co Cork, turned up at his neighbour’s house in the middle of the afternoon and behaved in this way.

Joseph Cuddigan, defending, acknowledged the “absolute terror” his neighbours must have felt.

Inspector James Hallahan said the incident at the centre of the case occurred at 4.25pm on February 21, when Barry called to his neighbour’s house and shouted threats outside.

Barry, who is in his mid-40s, kicked at the front door causing damage to a panel and also caused damage to the front gate as he left the scene. The total amount of damage causes was €300. Mr Cuddigan said the accused had brought that money to court yesterday for his neighbours.

Shortly after the incident, gardaí encountered the accused in the area and found that he was highly agitated and he had to be handcuffed. A bread knife was found sticking out of his back pocket at the time and, on being searched, he was found to have another knife in the same pocket.

Barry pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage, carrying knives, engaging in threatening behaviour, and being drunk and a danger. Insp Hallahan said that of the defendant’s 44 previous convictions, five were for drunkenness, eight were for threatening behaviour, and two were for carrying weapons.

Judge Con O’Leary asked: “What does he expect wandering around with weapons, kicking in doors in the middle of the afternoon?”

Mr Cuddigan said that the accused man was not in his rational mind at the time but had since attended with his GP and with a consultant psychiatrist.

Judge O’Leary put sentencing back until September 24 for reports from the defendant’s doctor and psychiatrist.

In his own evidence, Barry said: “I apologise for it. I didn’t mean for it to be the way it is, like. I didn’t mean for it to happen.”