Burglar found asleep on kitchen floor after break-in

"Mr Behan was found lying in the kitchen," a garda said. "I think he had been asleep." (stock photo)

Andrew Phelan

A burglar was arrested after he broke into a house and fell asleep on the floor, a court heard.

John Behan (53) had not stolen anything when gardai responded to a call from neighbours and found him sleeping in the kitchen.

He was jailed for six months when he appeared before Dublin District Court.

Behan, of Edenmore Park, Raheny, admitted entering the house as a trespasser with intent to commit an offence.

The court heard the incident happened at Warren Green, Baldoyle, last October 11.

The court heard neighbours reported noise at an unoccupied house. Gardai went to the scene and saw the rear window had been forced open.

"Mr Behan was found lying in the kitchen," a garda said. "I think he had been asleep."

Heroin

The damage to the window cost €150 and there was also €200 of damage to a kitchen door.

Separately, a garda believed the accused was about to smoke heroin at Luke Street in the city centre last November 8. He hid an item behind his back when approached and pushed the garda away. He admitted obstructing a drug search.

In another incident, last August, he stole perfume from a store.

He had 27 previous convictions for offences including public order breaches and theft.

Behan, who was on disability allowance, had a "somewhat disorderly life" in recent times, said his solicitor, Declan Fahy.

In relation to the trespass, it may have "just been somewhere to sleep, there wasn't any property taken", he added.

Judge Bryan Smyth backdated the sentence to a date in January. He took the other charges into consideration.