Court hears ransacking of neighbour’s property was ‘live-streamed on Facebook’

Adam McColgan (23), formerly of Briarhill in Antrim but now with an address listed as Cairnvale Park in Coleraine, spray painted the word ‘Slut’ on a door during the Christmas holiday period last year.

Antrim Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Ballymena, was told he admitted entering the address on a date between December 26 last year and January 2, 2022, with intent to cause unlawful damage.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis on New Year’s Day this year.

A prosecutor said the householder returned home and found graffiti on her door. Her TV was smashed and the property “ransacked”.

A friend sent the woman a Facebook video and she was able to identify McColgan and a female.

A prosecutor said a warrant has been issued for the arrest of the female. The prosecutor said McColgan entered the property and poured beer over a bed “and the video ends when both defendants run out of the flat”.

Police viewed the video and located both suspects nearby.

Defence barrister Neil Moore said the female with McColgan “videoed” the incident and “then placed it up on Facebook”.

Mr Moore said McColgan had a previously clear record.

The lawyer claimed there had been issues about regular “parties going into the early hours of the morning” in the flat and the defendant knew the property had been unoccupied and the door left unlocked.

He added: “Ordinary, right-thinking, people would have maybe met with this person, complained about her partying and asked her to rescind”.

McColgan’s tenancy was “immediately rescinded” following the incidents.

The court heard the defendant had a “wealth of issues”.

Mr Moore said the live-streaming had showed a “lack of intellect when you are actually putting it out there in the public domain when you are committing the crime.”

He added: “I don’t think there is any doubt the two of them were embroiled in this together”.

District Judge Nigel Broderick said it was a “serious matter to break into somebody’s flat and ransack it”.

McColgan was given a five months prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to pay £160 compensation for damage to the TV.