Drunken man urinated on Christmas presents in hallway cupboard at a stranger’s flat, court told

A court heard that a man urinated in a hallway cupboard. copyright of Archant © 2010 01603 772434

A drunken man walked into the wrong flat and urinated on Christmas decorations and children’s toys in a hallway cupboard, a court heard.

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Morgan Jones, 30, had three months before stripped naked at Norwich train station in front of shocked passengers.

Jones, from Mill Road, Aylsham, pleaded guilty to criminal damage in West Pottergate, Norwich on December 14, when he appeared before Norwich magistrates yesterday.

He also admitted using threatening words and behaviour when he stripped naked in Norwich on September 7. The original charge of indecent exposure was dropped, as it was agreed he had not intended to offend onlookers.

Prosecutor, Lisa Britton said the occupants of a flat in West Pottergate were sitting on their sofa watching a Christmas film at about 1pm when they heard banging in the hallway.

She said: “The occupant saw a man’s arm closing the door to a cupboard. Their flat door had been left unlocked.

“The occupant came out and asked Jones what he was doing in their home. Jones, who was drunk, told them he had been to the flat the week before, but they said they had never seen him before.

“When police arrived they found that Jones had urinated in the hallway cupboard, causing £310 worth of damage to children’s toys, Christmas decorations and DVDs.”

The offence put Jones in breach of a 3-month suspended jail sentence imposed for shoplifting last week.

Ms Britton also said that Jones had stripped naked at the city’s train station at about 9pm on September 7.

She said: “His partner had accused him of stealing money from her. In a drunken state he stripped naked to prove he did not have the money on him. Lots of people were at the station. He was arrested and said in interview he was drunk, and was disgusted by his behaviour. He said that, if he had been at the station with his family, and seen somebody naked, he would have wanted them to cover up.”

Rebecca Wastall, for Jones, said: “He suffered a bereavement this year and it’s been a downward spiral with alcohol, which is his nemesis. He has tried to find help but has struggled very much with his addiction.

“As to the urinating offence, he was with friends at a flat in West Pottergate. He went for a walk and went into the wrong flat. He would not have done it in a sober state. He got a pasting from the occupant and suffered fractured ribs.”

Jones was ordered to pay £200 compensation to the family, and the 3-month suspended sentence was activated. He was handed another two weeks’ custody, to run concurrently, for the criminal damage, with no separate penalty for the section five offence.