Cork man pushed burning tissue through letterbox of pensioner's house

A 78-year-old man experienced the terror of a complete stranger banging and kicking repeatedly at his door in the early hours of the morning and then pushing burning tissue papers through the letterbox.

Sergeant Pat Lyons outlined the background to the offences at Cork District Court where 38-year-old Eoin O’Mahony of 18 Harbour View, Cobh, County Cork, pleaded guilty to several charges arising out the incident.

“The man turned up at the injured party’s address at Woodhill Villas, Tivoli, Cork.

“He shouted that he would stab the occupant of the house and that he would burn the house down. The owner of the house was 78 years old.

“He stated that the defendant is unknown to him. He damaged the front door by hitting and kicking it and lighting tissue papers and putting them in the letterbox trying to burn the house down.

“The injured party had to prise the letterbox shut.

“As Mr O’Mahony was leaving he kicked and damaged a BMW parked outside. This car was owned by a tenant in the first injured party’s home,” Sgt Lyons said.

The accused was arrested not far from the scene after gardaí found him engaged in a public order matter. It was established that he matched the description of the man who was seen outside the house in Tivoli causing damage to the house and the car parked outside.

When he was arrested he was found to have a Stanley knife in his possession.

Sgt Lyons said: “He was shown CCTV and he had no recollection of it. He made admissions to owning and having the knife in his possession. He said he was sorry and that he was out of his head on drink and drugs. He wholeheartedly apologised for his actions.” 

There was €630 damage to the front door of the house and €3,700 damage to the BMW.

Judge Mary Dorgan said after hearing the outline of what happened: “It doesn’t sound good… I have a very major issue – I have no victim impact statement from the man whose house could have burnt down. It was lucky he woke and came down.

“This was absolutely incredible that he (Mr O’Mahony) could have done that and remembered it. It is quite shocking.” 

While the homeowner did not make a victim impact statement, the young man staying in a room at the house did make a statement about the effect of the criminal damage to his car.

Judge Dorgan said it was poignant to read that this young man could not understand why he would have to pay €3,700 for damage done by somebody else. Furthermore, the owner could not afford to pay to repair what was his first car which he bought after leaving college.

Quoting from the victim’s statement, Judge Dorgan said: “This man (defendant) made a decision that night to vandalise my car and he should pay for it.” 

Judge Dorgan said Eoin O’Mahony could not expect the leniency of the court for all the damage he caused on November 18 2022 if he made no effort to compensate the victims. The judge adjourned sentencing until June 10 for the defendant to gather compensation.

Eoin O’Mahony pleaded guilty to two criminal damage charges, one count of threatening damage, one of attempted arson, one of threatening to kill, and possession of a knife.