A homeless man who blamed Paddy Power Bookmakers for ruining his life stormed into one of their shops in Cork and smashed 12 televisions, causing €15,000 of damage, a court has heard.
Philip Barry (32), originally from Ballincollig in Co Cork but currently of no fixed abode, went into the Paddy Power shop on Cornmarket Street in Cork on June 4th 2019, and picked up a stool and smashed the 55 inch screens.
Garda Aidan Noonan told Cork Circuit Criminal Court that Barry "blamed Paddy Power for ruining his life" as he smashed up the screens in front of punters.
Garda Noonan said Barry, who has alcohol addiction, presented himself at the Bridewell Garda station in Cork later that evening and admitted criminal damage.
Barry had 103 previous convictions, including eight for criminal damage as well as ones for assault and public order but he was not on bail or under a suspended sentence at the time of the offence.
Defence barrister Alison McCarthy BL said her client was homeless at the time and that there had been a problem getting into Cork Simon a few nights before and he had ended up sleeping on the streets and getting soaked.
Barry had been in custody since June 5th, and although he had been granted bail by the High Court on his own bond of €100, he was unable to raise the money to take up his bail.
Barry did not address the court but during a bail hearing earlier this year at Cork District Court, he was asked had he a problem with Paddy Power. “Yeah, I gambled,” he said “They destroyed most of my life.”
At another stage in his bail application at Cork District Court, Barry said: “I had nothing to live for - I had no family, no friends. I did it to try and get some help. I didn’t want to be on the streets. I just lost it.”
Judge Brian O’Callaghan adjourned the matter until February 12th
