Cookstown man broke into ex’s home while she was in hospital to have baby

A twenty-one year-old man who broke into the home of his ex-partner while she was in hospital to deliver her baby because he was upset about being “excluded” from the birth of the child, Dungannon Magistrates Court has heard.

Details of the bizarre incident were relayed by a prosecutor in the case of Ciaran McDermott, from Coolnafranky Park in Cookstown, who admitted charges of burglary and criminal damage.

The court was told that, days after McDermott’s former partner had gone into hospital for a Caesarean section, the injured party’s sister went to her home in Main Street, Fivemiletown, and discovered that the setee had been scribbled over, washing powder had been poured into the tumble dryer and leads had been pulled out of the walls.

A number of personal items including the injured party’s passport, teddy bears, as well as an Ed Sheeran hooded top and concert tickets, were also found to be missing from the property.

A prosecuting lawyer explained that, in the days after the incident was discovered, bags containing teddy bears, as well as the Ed Sheeran top and concert tickets were deposited anonymously at the homes of the injured party’s mother and brother, while a text message was sent by McDermott to a family member of the injured party explaining more bags of items had been left in a boiler house at the rear of her mother’s home.

One of the bags contained items of clothing which, the prosecutor explained, were meant as gifts for the new baby.

When questioned by police about the incident, McDermott said he did not remember anything after drinking a bottle of Vodka, but admitted returning the stolen items over the course of a few days.

The prosecutor added: “The defendant was upset that he was being excluded from the birth of the child.”

Defending, McDermott’s lawyer explained his client did not know how to react to a “challenging situation”. McDermott had endured a troubled upbringing and spent most of his life in care, the lawyer added. A prison sentence of two months was imposed.

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