Offaly man stayed in empty council house after release from prison

TULLAMORE District Court was told a man broke into an empty council house in Edenderry because he had nowhere else to stay.

Paul Cullen (40), of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to entering 85 Greenwood Park, Edenderry and caused criminal damage there on July 27 last.

Garda Damien Fleming told the court he attended a call at that house at 10pm on that date in relation to a possible intruder.

He saw panes of glass in the back door had been smashed, causing €500 worth of damage. Mr Cullen was upstairs in a bedroom in the vacant house.

Garda Fleming agreed with defending solicitor Aisling Maloney that there was no trouble from Mr Cullen who appeared to be having a rest.

Ms Maloney told Judge Andrew Cody – who said the man had about 120 previous convictions - that her client had been released from prison about a week beforehand.

There was no accommodation available for him and he was aware the property was empty and when the guards came he immediately told them he was there.

The solicitor said Mr Cullen had told her he felt at the time it might be a way to get the council to get him a house.

Mr Cullen, who was placed in custody after he was found and remained there until his case was finalised in court because he was refused bail.

A man who had left school at a young age, he now understood he must go to the council in the ordinary course of events seeking accommodation, added Ms Maloney.

She said he was willing to pay the Offaly County Council compensation.

Judge Cody sentenced Mr Cullen to two months in prison, backdated to July 28. A charge of public drunkenness was taken into consideration.

Among the previous sentences imposed on Mr Cullen was one for three months after Tullamore District Court heard in December 2025 he had broken into and stolen from three premises in Edenderry town centre.

On the night of October 10 and in the early hours of October 11, 2025 Mr Cullen broke into Edenderry Town Hall as well as Eskimo Pizza, St Mary's Road, where he stole €650 and the Hayashi Chinese restaurant on JKL Street where he stole €50.

Windows were smashed with stones or masonry to gain entry to the buildings and the defendant was identified by CCTV footage, the court heard.

Ms Maloney told that court hearing most of her client's problems relate to drug addiction which had caused him “a huge amount of difficulty”.

On the night of the offences in question he consumed alcohol and prescription medication “which did not agree with one another” and he had very little recollection of the events.

He had been in custody since October 2025 and was finding it difficult, especially because of family bereavements.

Ms Maloney said her client was participating in education services while in custody and was serving a sentence until July 2026.

A court appearance prior to that was told that Mr Cullen was found with €2,500 worth of heroin following a burglary at the church in Edenderry.

He had also been found in possession of three screwdrivers when he was arrested.

The court was told the man's life had been blighted by heroin and his offences were related to him trying to get the drug. He had also been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

(Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme)