Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Drunk PR boss flooded four rooms in rampage
A NORTHERN Ireland businessman was found guilty yesterday of wrecking four hotel bedrooms in a rampage he blamed on “gypsies”.
IT firm marketing boss Eamon Devlin pulled the taps off walls causing huge flood damage to Ballyliffin Lodge in Co Donegal in September 2016.
The 41-year-old had earlier gone downstairs into the lobby completely naked saying there were “gypsies” in his room just before he ransacked it.
He instructed his legal team to plead not guilty and blamed an over-the-counter tablet for sparking a psychosis that led to his “bizarre behaviour”.
Lawyers said his consumption of the medication with alcohol had led to “involuntary intoxication”.
But a jury took just 32 minutes to find Devlin guilty of criminal damage.
The trial heard how he booked into the hotel with his son, three, as he was going through a divorce.
Letterkenny Circuit Court heard he had a pint of beer, an Irish coffee and took a bottle of wine to his room. At 11.30pm Devlin ordered another bottle of wine but at 5am he arrived in the reception naked.
He asked staff to come to his room claiming there were “gypsies” but a night porter found no one.
An hour later a guest complained of shouting.
Staff found the corridor was flooded while Devlin’s room was under three inches of water. The water later spread to three other rooms.
Hotel manager Colm O’kane said the accused asked him: “Did you see them, did you see them? The gypsies? Youse are doing a great job.”
A witness said the tablets taken by Devlin, from Drumintee Road, Newry, Co Down, contained DXM that can cause psychosis if taken in large doses.
But a lawyer said: “If he had never consumed this second bottle of wine this would never have happened.”
Judge John Aylmer remanded him on bail but adjourned sentencing until December.
CO DONEGAL COURT