Man found guilty of attempted illegal entry through cat flap

Thursday 19 October 2023

A 40-year-old man who tried to break in to a town flat by reaching through the cat flap in the front door has been convicted of the offence.

It took a Royal Court jury of seven women and five men an hour and 48 minutes to unanimously find Luke James Oeillet guilty of attempted illegal entry with intent to commit a crime.

His accomplice, 26-year-old Craig Clayton Livesey, had already admitted the charge.

On the first day of the trial, the jury heard that the pair had gone to the flats in Midvale Road just after midnight on 23 September last year.

The occupant of the flat was alerted by his alarm system and saw Oeillet reaching his left hand through the cat flap.

“There was absolute anger," the occupant said. "I was livid. I charged to the door.”

He then opened the door which knocked Oeillet to the ground.

The police arrested Oeillet at around 04:00 that day. He told them in interview that he had been drinking since midday.

When asked why he was at the flats, he said: “I don’t recall anything, mate.”

Advocate Greg Herold-Howes, defending, said the flat occupant immediately assumed that Oeillet was attempting a burglary and “didn’t consider any other explanation of the fingers appearing”.

But the jury agreed with the assessment of Crown Advocate Luke Sette, prosecuting, who said: “The only explanation is that they were trying to gain access to the flat.”

Oeillet was remanded in custody.

He and Livesey are due to reappear in court tomorrow for a sentencing date to be set.