‘SAD SITUATION’ | 

Man evicted after losing job during pandemic trespassed while collecting belongings

The accused had lived at the address for some time and was evicted due to rent arrears, his barrister Vanessa Frawley said.

Andrew Phelan

Today at 07:30

A tenant who was evicted from his flat over rent arrears when he lost his job during Covid was arrested for trespassing after returning to collect his belongings.

Desmond Whelan (40) went back to the property and “probably stayed there too long” before gardaí arrived, a court heard.

He was spared a criminal record when he made a charity donation.

Whelan, formerly of Poole Terrace, Dolphin’s Barn, pleaded guilty to trespassing at that address on November 7, 2022.

The prosecuting garda told Dublin District Court the accused was removed from the property following a court order.

He was arrested on the day and taken to Kevin Street Garda Station and charged.

The accused had lived at the address for some time and was evicted due to rent arrears, his barrister Vanessa Frawley said.

Whelan, who worked as a ceramic tiler, had lost his job during the Covid pandemic and could not pay his rent at the time. On the day, he went to retrieve his own items from the address, the barrister said.

The court heard the accused found himself living on the streets for seven days after he became homeless and was the victim of an attack.

When he went to get his items, he felt safe and “probably stayed there too long”.

He left of his own accord when the gardaí attended, Ms Frawley said. It was a “very sad situation”.

Whelan had €130 in court and Judge Treasa Kelly dismissed the case under the Probation of Offenders Act after he paid this to charity.