Guilty: man who strode naked into hotel lobby

A BUSINESSMAN who damaged four hotel rooms and strode naked into reception claiming there were ‘gypsies’ in his room has been found guilty of criminal damage.

Eamon Devlin, 41, had argued that the spree – which saw him pull the taps off walls, causing flood damage – had been caused by his drinking alcohol while taking an over-thecounter tablet.

But a jury took 92 minutes to find him guilty. The trial heard that Devlin had booked into Ballyliffin Lodge in Co. Donegal in September 2016 with his three-year-old son. Devlin was going through a divorce and wanted to spend time with his son. The pair had bar food at the hotel, and Devlin had a pint of Carlsberg and an Irish coffee before taking a bottle of wine to his room. At 11.30pm, he ordered another bottle of wine.

At around 5am, he arrived in reception naked, carrying his son. He asked staff to come to his room, claiming there were ‘gypsies’ there. The night porter found nothing.

Around an hour later, he received a call from a room near Devlin’s, complaining of shouting. Approaching Devlin’s room, the night porter saw that the corridor was flooded. He entered the room and found it under three inches of water. Sinks had been pulled off the bathroom wall, and water had spread to other rooms.

In court, Devlin said he had been taking Day and Night Nurse tablets he had bought in the North for an infection. His lawyers said he’d experienced ‘involuntary intoxication’.

Judge John Aylmer remanded Devlin, of Newry, Co. Down, on bail but adjourned sentence until a sitting of Letterkenny Circuit Court in December.