Man exasperated by college house parties ordered to do community service for trespassing at student house

Olivia Kelleher

A man who put his hand in the downstairs window of a house in Cork, picked up a jumper and cap and threw them at a young tenant as he was angry about noisy student house parties in his area has been sentenced to 180 hours of community service.

Roy Sexton, with an address at Bandon Road, The Lough, Cork, was listed to go on trial at Cork Circuit Criminal Court last June. However, the 37-year-old pleaded guilty to a charge of trespassing. Sentencing was adjourned until Thursday.

Det Garda Martina Felle previously told the court that shortly after 11.30pm on January 23rd, 2022, Mr Sexton went to a student house in Bandon Road and banged loudly on the door.

“(Then) Roy Sexton reached in through the window and said: ‘Keep it down now lads, I’m telling you’. He reached into the bedside locker where there was a cap and a jumper. He threw the cap and jumper at the student.”

Judge Helen Boyle heard that Mr Sexton was not known to the student. However, the student was able to tell gardaí that the man who came to their house had a “very distinctive” tattoo on his right hand. Gardaí also detected a fingerprint at the scene.

When gardaí approached Mr Sexton, he told them that he had previously complained to them about student house parties and the volume of noise made by young tenants who attend UCC. He also said that on one occasion his partner had been knocked down by a student who was out running in the area.

Defence barrister, Paula McCarthy BL, told Judge Boyle that whilst her client had previous convictions, none were serious enough for the circuit court. She said that Mr Sexton had “issues with house parties”.

“On this occasion he put his hand in the window — that was the extent of the trespass. He threw the jumper and he left. And he has not come to adverse Garda attention since 2022.”

Mr Sexton has handed over €500 in compensation to the student. Judge Boyle had previously told him that on payment of the compensation he could have the case finalised by way of a community service order.

On Thursday at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Boyle said that whilst Mr Sexton “deeply regretted” his actions it was a “frightening event for the person therein.”

She stressed that the defendant didn’t have “any entitlement to enter the property of someone else”.

Mr Sexton has 24 previous convictions. However, Judge Boyle noted that prior to the offence in 2022 he had last come to gardaí attention in 2016.

She took the guilty plea into consideration and his acknowledgment that what had occurred was an “over reaction” on his part.

Judge Boyle also factored in a personal matter he was going through at the time and directed that he complete 180 hours of community service.

Judge Boyle praised gardaí for their “good detective work” in tracking down Mr Sexton.