Homeless man fined for pitching tent in carpark of UCC's School of Music

Judge Kelleher was told that the accused had done very well in a lengthy period of rehabilitation, but fell back into homelessness that resulted in these charges being brought against him. File picture

A homeless man pitched his tent in the car park of UCC’s School of Music in Cork and ignored directions to leave the area.

The gardaí had to be called to get him to leave at lunchtime on November 30. By 11pm that night, the gardaí were called again when the same man was found at the table of a Chinese restaurant and again he was refusing to leave.

27-year-old Mikalai Fitzmaurice no fixed address was arrested on November 30 shortly before 11pm following a report from staff at Freestyle Chinese restaurant on North Main Street. On arrest, charge and caution by Garda Aoife McCarthy, the young man said: “Do you go to mass?” 

Earlier on the day of November 30, just before 1pm Garda Niamh Crowley responded to a call at UCC School of Music on Sunday’s Well Road that a man was sleeping in a tent within the carpark and refusing to leave.

Garda Crowley observed the tent in the corner. Garda McCarthy identified herself as a member of An Garda Siochana. She could hear a man inside mumbling to himself.

Sergeant John Kelleher said: “She opened the tent and found the man lying down and shouting to himself and making no sense. 

He couldn’t give any personal details and was incoherent.  His eyes were extremely dilated and he could not stand unaided. 

"He was arrested for being drunk and a danger to himself or others.” 

Now at Cork District Court he has pleaded guilty to two counts of being drunk and a danger to himself or others. Judge Olann Kelleher convicted and fined him €100 on each of the two charges.

Judge Kelleher was told that the accused had done very well in a lengthy period of rehabilitation, but fell back into homelessness that resulted in these charges being brought against him.