Derry Man Stole His Neighbour's Pants

A DERRY man who broke into his neighbour’s house and stole underwear as she hid under her bed has been described by a judge as ‘exceptionally creepy’.

- Ursula Duddy

Ronan Gillen, of Cornshell Fields, appeared before Derry Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with burglary and common assault.

The offences took place on September 20, 2015.

The court heard 29-year-old Gillen and the injured party had been neighbours in flats on Waterloo Street.

On the night in question, the woman was alone in her flat when Gillen knocked at her door.

She said that she realised Gillen was drunk but he left after they had a conversation about leaving the bins out.

However, a matter of minutes later he returned and asked her if she could phone his brother a taxi.

Gillen then put his hands around the woman’s waist and picked her up off the ground and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

The woman was left feeling ‘totally uncomfortable by the encounter’.

The woman left her flat and was out for some time meeting her boyfriend and returned at around 10.30pm.

When she got home, she heard the fire alarm for the building going off but, as this was a regular occurrence, she ignored it.

However, she then heard footsteps approaching her flat and heard Gillen shouting her name and banging loudly on the door.