Cork Court: Owner found intruders inside her property and house ransacked

The owner of a house that was about to be renovated in Carrigaline found the place ransacked and several intruders present when she returned — including one man coming out of the attic carrying a hacksaw.

One of the men on the property — Christopher Judge, with an address at Pairc Na Daire, Clonard — was jailed for nine months yesterday after he pleaded guilty to his part in trespassing on the premises.

Despite evidence of extensive damage to the premises, there was no charge against Judge of causing criminal damage, his solicitor Frank Buttimer said at the sentencing hearing. Sergeant Gearóid Davis agreed that it was a single charge of burglary.

However, the description of the incident was that Judge was coming out of the attic with a hacksaw when the owner arrived, and that there had been flooding and damage to pipe work at the house.

The incident involving Judge, aged 42, dated back to May 13, 2020, at house at Castlerock, Riverside, Carrigaline.

Mr Buttimer said the defendant was not the first person at the house and that he responded to a call from another person present go down.

He said that the damage had already been committed by others by the time the accused arrived and that he was only there for a very brief period of time.

Mr Buttimer said that when the owner arrived, Mr Judge spoke to her and left and that there was nothing sinister in his interaction with the owner at the scene.

Judge Mary Dorgan said: 

“I can only imagine how difficult it was for the house owner.”

When the owner visited the house, she found three men and two women trespassing on the property.

The house was vacant and awaiting renovations.

It appeared that a house party had occurred as there was extensive damage to property — €4,540 worth of damage in total.

This included damage to furniture, picture frames, electrical equipment, glassware, internal walls, and broken pipes.

On entry, she observed Christopher Judge exiting the attic with a hacksaw. Pipes had been damaged.

The house was ransacked and flooded.