Damon Brian Brennan pleads guilty to attempted break in charge

A former Army recruit has offered a ‘curious explanation’ in Gympie court for the night he attempted to break into a Noosa Heads home.

Damon Brian Brennan pleaded guilty Gympie Magistrates Court to trying to break into a Noosa Heads gome in 2019, saying he was drunk, his phone was flat and he needed to recharge it.

A drunk man tried to break into a Noosa Heads home so he could charge his mobile phone battery in what has been called a “curious” case of attempting to “steal electricity”.

Damon Brian Brennan, of Rockingham in Western Australia, tried to break into the house about 5.30am September 1, 2019, Gympie Magistrates Court has been told.

Police prosecutor Michael Phillips said the home’s owner was woken by a noise outside his bedroom window.

Sgt Phillips said Brennan had taken the fly screen off the window and tried to pry open a glass louvre.

His fingerprints were found on each item.

Brennan was not charged over the offence until two years later, when he was in police custody for other matters in September, 2021.

The owner of a Noosa Heads home was woken up by the sound of someone outside. Gympie Magistrates court heard Damon Brian Brennan had taken the flyscreen off the window and tried to pry open a glass louvre, leaving fingerprints on the items.

The court heard Brennan told police he had “no recollection of the events whatsoever”.

Lawyer Greg Wildie said his client was a “young Army recruit” at the time and had been out drinking with friends.

They “all became very drunk” and got separated, Mr Wildie said.

Brennan, now a roof framer, could only recall that he had wanted to find somewhere to get his flat phone battery charged.

He pleaded to a charge of attempting to enter a dwelling with intent at night.

Magistrate Chris Callaghan accepted Brennan’s “curious” submission he “intended to steal electricity by going through someone’s bedroom window”, fining him $500 and ordering no conviction recorded.