National: 21-year-old man gets eight months jail for 'horrific home invasion'

A man has been jailed at Derry Magistrate's Court today for what a judge described as an 'absolutely horrific home invasion' after a couple acted as Good Samaritans.

Callum Donegan (21) of Clon Dara in Derry admitted two charges of assault and two charges of criminal damage that occurred on March 18, 2020.

The court heard that a youth called to a house in Moyola Drive and asked could he charge his phone. The residents obliged and while the young man made a call to Mr Donegan. 

After the young man left, Mr Donegan called and asked to speak to him but was told that he had left the house. Some 15 minutes later, Mr Donegan and another man returned demanding to know where the youth was. 

They demanded entry and when the couple refused they broke the door and started punching at the householders. The defendant used broken glass from the door in the attack and then used a fence post to damage windows in the property. 

The pair left after neighbours confronted them. Defence counsel Sinead Rogan said that her client was 'eager to avoid a custodial sentence'. 

She said it was 'a strange but very serious case' but District Judge Barney McElholm said that it was 'horrific'. 

The barrister said that Mr Donegan had been 17-years-old at the time and had stayed out of trouble. She said that he was remorseful for his actions. 

Judge McElholm said that Mr Donega had four years and had made no effort to get compensation. 

He described the offences as 'like something out of a B movie' after the householders had 'acted as Good Samaritans and allowed the youth to charge his phone so he could phone family.'

The judge said that the defendants had arrived accusing the couple of being 'paedophiles' after they had tried to do the right thing. He said if Mr Donegan had any real remorse he would have tried to gather up some compensation. 

The judge said that the offences clearly crossed the custody threshold and added that Mr Donegan had made a no comment interview instead of showing 'regret and remorse'. 

He jailed Mr Donegan for eight months and ordered him to pay £4,500 in compensation.