Assaulted woman after going into the wrong house

Gearoid Collins, Huguenot Drive, Lisburn, admitted common assault on December 5 last year.

Banbridge Magistrates Court heard last Thursday that the defendant entered a property in Dromara.

He then grabbed the victim by her hair.

Police went to the address of the defendant’s father and found Collins who was highly intoxicated.

When he was interviewed the following day the 27-year-old could not remember anything only drinking three bottles of vodka and waking up in the police cells.

A solicitor representing Collins said his father’s house was only three doors down from where the injured party lived.

He explained the defendant had simply wandered into the property thinking it was his father’s house.

The solicitor added that Collins had not taken as drink since December.

He said his client was doing voluntary work during the day that prevented him from drinking.

Deputy District Judge John Rea said this was a very distressing incident for the injured party who was in her own home and it was a serious case.

He adjourned sentencing until April 13 so that a pre-sentence report could be obtained.