Man evicted for not paying rent in Cork house broke into property and told gardaí to 'f*** off'

Accused broke window of house and gained entry, locking himself in a bedroom and becoming abusive to the other tenants, court heard

Conor Tobin, 29, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage at the house one month ago. Picture: Larry Cummins

Armed gardaí arrested a man at a house in Cork City after he locked himself in a bathroom and threatened others when he had been asked to leave as a tenant for not paying his rent.

Conor Tobin, 29, of no fixed address, had never been in any kind of trouble before and he pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage at the house one month ago.

Because of the surrounding circumstances and issues for the accused man, he was remanded in custody since it happened.

Solicitor Shane Collins-Daly said: “He has been in custody for a month now. He went back to the house that day — he was very unwell. I am satisfied from speaking to him he is now well.” 

Conor Tobin indicated that on release from prison he would be going to live in a mobile home in Tralee, Co Kerry.

Judge Olann Kelleher said he would impose a one-month sentence backdated to when the accused went into custody. 

Mr Collins-Daly explained from Cork District Court to the accused, who appeared by video link from prison, that in effect he would be released immediately.

The defendant thanked the judge and thanked his solicitor.

The sentence was imposed on a charge brought against him by Garda Aisling Brosnan that on June 15 on North Mall, Cork, he caused criminal damage to the house. Damage was put at a value of €100.

Sergeant John Kelleher said after midnight on June 15, gardaí from Gurranabraher received a call to attend an incident at a house on North Mall, Cork, where a man had broken the window of a house and gained entry.

“On arrival at the property, gardaí were met with a number of tenants of the house. They stated that they had been inside when an ex-tenant who had moved out that day had broken the sitting room window and gained entry.

“He became aggressive and they had to leave the house.

“Gardaí gained entry to the property. The tenants advised that he was in an upstairs bedroom. They informed gardaí that he had moved out of the house that day and did not have permission to be in the property.

“Gardaí went upstairs where the man had locked himself into a bedroom. Garda Brosnan knocked on the door and he shouted aggressively that he would not let them enter.

“This went on for a number of minutes and he could be heard throwing items of furniture around the room. He told gardaí to f*** off and shouted that he would kill them.

“Eventually, the armed support unit gained entry and he was arrested.”