A Cork man who stole alcohol from a hotel close to where he lives was found passed out behind the bar with an empty whiskey bottle beside him, the district court has heard.

Court presenter Sergeant Eimear O’Connell told Bandon District Court that Brian O’Sullivan, aged 39 of Rathnaroughy, Innishannon, Co Cork, was charged with two counts of burglary in relation to two separate incidents that occurred at the Innishannon House Hotel in January and May of 2025.

The court heard that on January 22, 2025, the hotel manager reported a break-in to gardaí. A ground floor window adjacent to the bar had been smashed and whiskey and vodka had been stolen from the bar. 

An empty bottle of whiskey and a half-empty bottle of vodka were later found in a nearby boiler house. A DNA sample taken from the vodka bottle was matched to Brian O’Sullivan. The damage to the window was estimated at €500, while the stolen alcohol was worth €50.

The court also heard that on May 11, 2025, O’Sullivan was discovered in a dishevelled state lying unconscious on the ground behind the bar at the hotel. Beside him was an empty bottle of whiskey valued at €30. 

When O’Sullivan was arrested he was described as being highly intoxicated. The court was told that O’Sullivan had 29 previous convictions.

Defence solicitor Killian McCarthy said his client had brought €600 to court in compensation for the hotel. He said his client’s life had been “blighted by alcohol” as he approached his 40s with his first conviction being relatively recent in 2018. 

He said O’Sullivan’s previous convictions were all alcohol related and he had been in residential treatment. Mr McCarthy added that O’Sullivan who lives with his parents had pleaded guilty and made full admissions, had been alcohol-free since May and was engaging with treatment services. 

He added that O’Sullivan had taken up work and was also taking a course in coding and the routine of work had “improved his outlook”.

Judge Joanne Carroll said there was evidence that O’Sullivan had turned his life around and was also engaging with treatment services. 

She said in the circumstances “doing the best I can” she would impose an 80-hour community service order in lieu of three months in prison for the January incident. The second charge was taken into consideration.

This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme