A 35-YEAR-OLD man has been given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay compensation for damage caused during a break-in at a house in Irvinestown.

Stephen Timlin, with an address of Briars Hill, Irvinestown, was convicted of criminal damage and burglary with intent to cause damage following an incident on March 6, of last year.

The court heard that at around 8.30am, a house in Mill Street was broken into and the owner of the house was alerted by the Credit Union, which was located next door.

The back door had been smashed in, and extensive damage was caused to doors, fixtures and a wood-burning stove in the property. There was also a substantial amount of blood throughout the house.

The house was empty, and the owner had last checked it was secure on March 6.

DNA swabs were taken of the blood and it was matched to the DNA of the defendant. Timlin was arrested on June 13, and made no comment when interviewed.

Steffan Rafferty, defence barrister, said Timlin had been going through a difficult period with his mental health and had come before the court on a number of occasions.

He said the man’s mental health had been deteriorating over the last year and that it reached a serious level in March and April of 2020.

District Judge Liam McNally pointed out that Timlin had caused a fair bit of damage to himself. Mr. Rafferty said it was the result of self-harm, and it was not a standalone episode.

Judge McNally said it was a serious offence, and that mental health difficulties were a proactive factor rather than the cause to damage property.

He gave Timlin a 12-month conditional discharge, and ordered him to pay £250 in compensation to the home owner.