An Armagh man who damaged a door to gain entry to a property has been handed a community service order.
Christopher Duffy (33), of Culdee Drive, appeared before Armagh Magistrates’ Court, sitting at Newry Courthouse on Tuesday, charged with one count of criminal damage.
The court heard that on March 17 last year, police attended Culdee Street in Armagh following reports of an unsecure property.
On arrival, they observed the front door of a property as significantly damaged with the window in the door smashed.
On entering, the defendant was located passed out and hidden under a bed. He was in need of medical attention due to an excess of alcohol and drugs.
Police established he was not the occupier of the property and believed he may have been responsible for the damage to the door to gain entry.
The defendant’s shoes were seized due to footprints located by forensics on the door.
At interview he said he couldn’t remember the incident as he was under the influence of alcohol at the time.
Forensics then compared the seized footwear to the marks on the door and identified similarities.
A defence lawyer told the court his client had affected “very positive changes” in recent months through a previously imposed probation order.
District Judge Anne Marshall said: “You’re doing very well at the moment and I’ve read the pre-sentence report and you seem to have taken significant steps to try and ensure that you’re not in this kind of trouble again.”
Judge Marshall imposed a community service order of 60 hours.
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