Man defecated on doorstep of family home near Kildare/Wicklow border
Stock image of stone doorstep
A MAN who entered a family’s garden without permission before defecating on their doorstep is to be sentenced in six weeks’ time once a probation report has been completed.
Shane Maloney (45) Winetavern, Stratford on Slaney, Baltinglass, Co Wicklow appeared before Judge Geraldine Carthy at a sitting of Carlow District Court.
Giving facts, prosecuting Sgt Gráinne McPartlin told the court that at 1am on 3 October, the defendant entered the garden of a home in Lacken, Co Wicklow without the consent of the owner.
The defendant refused repeated requests to leave the garden and proceeded to defecate on the doorstep.
When confronted by gardaí, he became agitated and aggressive and continued to refuse to leave the area. He was subsequently arrested and taken to Baltinglass Garda Station.
The court heard the defendant has 90 previous convictions, none of which related to the offence before the court.
Defence solicitor Tertius Van Eeden told the court that his client expressed his “sincerest apologies” to the homeowners and their family.
Mr Van Eeden outlined to the court that Mr Maloney was drinking alcohol on the night in question, having been sober for the previous two years, and was on heavy medication for a shoulder injury.
The defendant remembered everything that happened on the night leading up to the incident, Mr Van Eeden said, but that he had no recollection of the incident itself.
“He thinks his bladder was full at the time and that is why he entered the garden,” Mr Van Eeden said.
The court heard that the defendant is the father of a one-year-old child and has been in gainful employment since serving his sentence in 2012.
“He is willing to offer €400 in compensation,” Mr Van Eeden said, adding that it was quite embarrassing for his client to hear those facts in court.
Judge Geraldine Carthy said it must have been “frightening for the family to have a stranger in their garden and then to do what he did,” adding that “money won’t fix this.” Noting the defendant’s previous convictions as an aggravating factor, Judge Carthy adjourned sentencing for a further six weeks to allow for a probation report to be prepared.
