Reality TV star Jeremy McConnell has been found guilty of trespassing after he drunkenly broke into a woman’s home in county Dublin earlier this year.
The home owner found the 27-year-old, from Dublin, in her kitchen at 6.30am on February 10, and called police.
An apologetic McConnell told officers he had gotten lost while running away from two men who had chased him from a nearby houseparty on the same estate.
The home owner found Jeremy McConnell, 27, in her kitchen in Skerries, Co Dublin, claiming he had gotten lost while running away from two men
The 27-year-old plead guilty to trespassing, saying he had entered the house in Skerries, Co Dublin, through an unlocked back door.
The woman had reportedly not been in fear, and made the defendant a cup of tea before police arrived at her home and took care of an apologetic McConnell.
Speaking after leaving Balbriggan District Court today, McConnell was apologetic and admitted he had walked into the woman’s house at a state of intoxication.
‘I am very sorry to the lady,’ McConnell told the Sun.
‘I’ve paid my fine and can finally move forward. She made me a lovely cuppa too.’
This latest conviction comes as he is about to begin his community service next week for the brutal attack on his ex, actress Stephanie Davis.
McConnell, who has now relocated to Cardiff, was this week handed a 20-week sentence, suspended for 12 months at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court.
He is now looking at undertaking tasks including decorating council areas, removing graffiti or working in a charity shop.
Reality TV star Jeremy McConnell (left) faces painting and charity work as he begins community service next week for the brutal attack on his ex Stephanie Davis (right)
The 27-year-old, from Dublin, was handed a 20-week sentence, suspended for 12 months at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court
A source told the Daily Star: ‘Jeremy has now moved to Cardiff and will start his community service next week.
‘He’s living with Make Or Break contestant and friend Richard Cull. They’ve been friends for a long time and Rich has help him through a difficult year.
‘It’s not yet known what he will be doing but it could be decorating of council-owned areas, removing graffiti or working in a charity shop.’
McConnell was ordered to pay £1,000 in court costs, £1,000 in compensation to Miss Davis and a victims surchage of £115.
His lawyer James Morris told the court last month the Dubliner’s tough upbringing and a series of personal family tragedies had left him with ‘demons’.
Mr Morris said: ‘It’s extremely sad when relationships break down. It’s fair to say this was a volatile relationship where accusations of infidelity reared their ugly heads on a regular basis.
McConnell was ordered to pay £1,000 in court costs, £1,000 in compensation to Miss Davis and a victims surchage of £115
‘Mr McConnell had a difficult upbringing in Dublin. His mother, he lost his mother at the age of 15, and in the same year, a brother and sister. His father was left as a single parent who had to bring up family on his own. There is bereavement issues that Mr McConnell has not dealt with.
‘Mr McConnell sadly lost his father this year and attended his father’s funeral with Miss Davis, three days prior to this incident and was in a very low frame of mind in the days leading up to this incident.
‘Mr McConnell clearly has had a number of demons in his past that needs to be addressed.’
Mr Morris said the defendant had attended Smarmore Castle, a private rehab clinic in Ireland, to be treated for ‘chemical dependency’ and he was now free of cocaine use.
At the previous court hearing, Davis said McConnell suspected her of a lesbian affair and a fling with a fireman as he attacked her at a property in Rainhill, Merseyside, on March 10.
She described the assault ‘like something out of a horror movie’, adding that McConnell threatened to smash a bottle over his head.
McConnell first met his former partner after they appeared together on Celebrity Big Brother
The prosecution said the assault took place as Ms Davis held their eight-week old son Caben-Albi in her arms, a claim that was denied by McConnell.
The former Hollyoaks actress said: ‘He’s completely destroyed my life, it’s been the worst 18 months of my life.’
She also told the court: ‘He threatened to throw acid in my face.’
The city’s magistrates’ court heard they had been out for a meal with friends in Liverpool to celebrate Miss Davis’s birthday on March 9 but when they returned home McConnell had left to go to the pub with two of the friends.
Miss Davis said when he got back to the house at about midnight he was ‘out of it’ and had been taking cocaine.
McConnell had accused her of having affairs with her pregnant friend and with a fireman who lived nearby, the court was told
The court was shown photos of a bruise she said was caused by McConnell biting her arm, as well as extensive bruises to her legs and body.
Miss Davis said McConnell began kicking the doors in an attempt to get in.
She said: ‘I heard him go over the gate, it was literally like a horror film. I just thought, ‘this is it, he’s going to kill me’.’
Miss Davis said she let him in after fearing he would smash the glass patio doors and was thrown on to the bed, punched on the side of the head and then pushed against the wall twice as she held their eight-week-old son Caben-Albi.
McConnell had accused her of having affairs with her pregnant friend and with a fireman who lived nearby, the court was told.
McConnell told the court he was defending himself against Miss Davis, who he said attacked him after learning he had taken cocaine.
He claimed injuries shown in photos were ‘self-inflicted’ and that Miss Davis was aggrieved that he had ended their relationship six weeks ago.
McConnell, of Swords, Dublin, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to criminal damage of Miss Davis’s property.
Following his assault conviction he was bailed on condition he did not contact Miss Davis and was told by District Judge Wendy Lloyd that a custodial sentence was a possibility.