Courts / Dublin / Report

Homeless man who damaged General Register Officer avoids jail

Summary

Paddy Lynch, 36, a homeless man from Ashlawn Court, Bray, was found guilty of trespassing and criminal damage after breaking into the General Register Office on 9 May 2020. He entered the closed building shortly after midnight, triggered an alarm, broke an electronic gate and damaged an internal security door with a metal object. The damage amounted to €8,000, with the gate alone costing €7,000 to repair. Lynch claimed he was looking for a place to sleep and was intoxicated, with a needle found nearby. He has prior convictions for burglary and theft. A psychological report linked his drug addiction to trauma from the 2015 Carrickmines fire. Judge Melanie Greally, after adjournment for a probation assessment, imposed a fully suspended two‑year sentence, requiring Lynch to keep the peace and continue drug treatment and probation services if needed. No documents were harmed during the incident.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Homeless man who damaged General Register Officer avoids jail. Charges or matters: one count of trespass and criminal damage. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• May 9, 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2022-02-10 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Burglary Drugs Stage Sentence Theft

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Read the original CNI report