Enniskillen Courthouse
AN ENNISKILLEN man who claimed a window had been broken when he moved out of the way of someone trying to hit him has been given community service.
Niall Johnston (22) of Windmill Heights pleaded guilty to criminal damage at Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday.
On July 9 last year police were called to an incident on Rossory Terrace. On arrival they found a window of a house had been smashed. The owner told them they’d heard a loud bang around 3.50am that morning. The owner had not seen who had been outside, but blood found on the broken window was tested and identified as Johnston’s.
When he was later arrested for criminal damage Johnston said he’d been out on the town and had been walking to a friend’s house that night when a row kicked off. He told police everyone was fighting, and someone had tried to hit him but he moved out of the way and they’d hit the window instead. With regard to the blood, he told police he’d put his hand on the window afterwards.
Defence solicitor Michelle McVeigh said Johnston didn’t know the owner of the house. She said the defendant had been the victim of an assault that night and in hindsight he should’ve reported the incident to police, but pointed out he’d given a full account of what happened when he did speak to them.
Ms McVeigh said Johnston wanted to apologise to the home owner, and had brought £60 to court to pay for repairs to the window, which cost £204 to fix.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said while Johnston appeared to amassing a significant criminal record, he noted Johnston’s last offence had been three years ago. Judge Broderick sentenced Johnston to 150 hours community service and ordered him to pay the £204 for the window repairs.
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