P.E.I. man pleads guilty to unlawfully being inside woman’s apartment

A Charlottetown apartment building maintenance worker who went inside a tenant's unit without permission and stole six cans of beer has pleaded guilty to an offence in provincial court.

Patrick Frederick Mcgee, 52, was initially charged with break and enter and committing an indictable offence. But on Nov. 17, he instead pleaded guilty to a lesser offence of unlawfully being inside a dwelling.

Crown attorney Jeff Macdonald told the court that on Oct. 18, a tenant in the apartment building reported to police that a man – later identified as Mcgee – was inside her unit twice that day at around 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Video footage from inside the unit showed Mcgee muttering to himself and rummaging through the apartment, including accessing the woman's bedside table, closet and storage room, as well as taking six cans of beer from the fridge. Mcgee had a master key for the apartment building and would perform repairs when the building manager wasn't available. The building manager did not give Mcgee permission to be inside the unit.

Mcgee was also a tenant in the building for about three to four years, said Macdonald. It wasn't stated in court whether Mcgee is still a tenant in the building.

Mcgee was arrested on Oct. 20.

The apartment building is located at 27 Elana Court. Mcgee is no longer working as the building's maintenance worker, said Macdonald.

Macdonald said the Crown is seeking custody in the matter and requested that a pre-sentence report be prepared since Mcgee did not have a prior criminal record. Pre-sentence reports discuss and offender's relevant background information and circumstances to assist the court with sentencing.

Mcgee represented himself in court.

Chief Judge Jeff Lantz adjourned sentencing to Jan. 10 so the pre-sentence report could be prepared.