Man who squatted at Cork city house he wrongly thought was unoccupied jailed

A 38-year-old homeless man who squatted at a house on a cold and wet night when he wrongly presumed it to be unoccupied was jailed today for eight months.

Joe O’Sullivan pleaded guilty to trespassing at the property and causing damage to make the unlawful entry.

His solicitor Aoife Buttimer said that the accused was passing the house on a daily basis for a fortnight and he came to believe that nobody was living there. However, this was not the case.

“He made a bad decision to enter. He had a hip injury which limited his mobility at the time.

“He was previously addicted to heroin. He is now off it and he is on methadone. He is clear of all drugs,” Ms Buttimer said.

Judge Mary Dorgan imposed a prison sentence of eight months on the accused. Sergeant Aisling Murphy said the accused had 260 previous convictions including 25 for causing criminal damage and 21 for burglary.

He admitted causing criminal damage and burglary at a house on College Road in Cork in the early hours of January 28.

Joe O’Sullivan of no fixed address said, “I didn’t go in there to do any harm, I went in to get out of the rain.” 

Garda Kian O’Sullivan testified that a man residing at the house on College Road said he disturbed Joe O’Sullivan who broke into the house and that the accused left the property. Garda O’Sullivan said the defendant smashed a window, reached in and opened a locked door to get inside.

The guard said that when he encountered the 38-year-old he noticed that his right hand was cut and there were shards of glass on his person at the time of his arrest.