Man says ‘ Divine law’ clears him of Bishop house break- in

A man who is charged with breaking into the home of the Bishop of Elphin told Sligo District Court that he saw the offence in terms of eternal law.

“All law derives from eternal or divine law,” Darren Kirwan, no fixed abode and Kilkenny told Judge Kevin Kilrane. He pleaded not guilty but then went on to admit he broke into the Bishop’s Palace, Temple Street on December 1st 2015 committing theft and criminal damage.

He also admitted another charge of trying to cash an altered cheque by changing the amount from € 200 to € 400 at the GPO, Sligo on March 31st.

Mr Gerard McGovern, solicitor ( defending) said despite the not guilty pleas there were very strong admissions made by the defendant in his statements to Gardaí. Mr McGovern asked that he be allowed call the defendant who felt he had a divine right not to plead guilty.

Kirwan told the court that the Bishop’s home was ecclesiastical property owned by the Catholic Church and the Holy See. He did write a letter to the Bishop after the incident but “unfortunately I got no response.” He admitted he took items from the house. He also agreed he changed the figure on the cheque but said he did not do so deliberately or maliciously.

He was homeless at the time and his dole had been cut off and was in a “really bad condition.”

Judge Kevin Kilrane told the defendant that the law does not permit the altering of cheques.

“Civil law doesn’t but divine law does,” said the defendant. He added that it was a crime of the State not to look after the welfare of its community.

Judge Kilrane told Mr McGovern that he wasn’t satisfied the defendant was fit to plead. Bail was revoked and he was remanded in custody for a psychiatric assessment to December 9th in Harristown Court.

Asked by the defendant why, Judge Kilrane replied: “I’m concerned.” Kirwan said he had been assessed four or five times already. He said he had a copy of a report in a folder which he claimed was taken off him by Gardaí.