PAUL Terry Keating says he cannot remember repeatedly ringing the doorbell at a North Albury house which plays the Sydney Swans theme song.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But Keating, 28, of Captain Cook Drive, Albury, pleaded guilty in court on Wednesday to trespassing and malicious damage charges.
He claimed to have consumed two drinks of alcohol with some medication.
“I don’t remember how I got to that part of Albury," he told magistrate Tony Murray in Albury Local Court.
Mr Murray said it must have been quite terrifying for an elderly woman to have someone ringing her door bell in the early hours of the morning and a lunatic jumping around in her yard.
Keating was fined a total of $1000 and put on an 18-month bond with conditions preventing him from going within 100 metres of the woman or 50 metres of the street where she lives.
Police told Mr Murray the incident caused great fear for the victim, 71.
Police were called to Lowry Street in North Albury about 2am on July 27 by the victim who reported a prowler.
The officers saw a man jump the back fence of an adjoining property as they approached and quickly apprehended Keating.
When they spoke to him, they realised he was under the influence of alcohol or a drug.
Keating gave a number of reasons for being in the yards, but all were nonsensical.
The victim told police someone had been ringing her doorbell and running off.
She said the doorbell was a novelty one which played the Sydney Swans theme song when pressed.
An inspection by officers revealed the door bell was no longer attached.
There were a number of wet footprints on the concrete with a distinctive pattern to them.
Police told Keating they intended searching him and found the door bell cover along with some of its circuitry attached.
The cover had both an AFL and Sydney Swans logo on it.
His shoes had the same distinctive tread pattern as those near the front door.
The victim said she did not know Keating.
Mr Murray was told the victim was not seeking compensation for the door bell which he said was somewhat unusual.