A man whose fingerprints were found in a ransacked house said he went inside to take drugs and didn't realise someone lived there.
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Aiden James Reginald Davis, 19, of Raines Place, faced magistrate David Day in Orange Local Court on Monday and was convicted for trespassing.
"It's so stupid it's believable. He shouldn't be doing drugs and he shouldn't be trespassing," Mr Day said.
People's houses, even if they have been trashed, are not his premises to go poking around in.
- Magistrate David Day
According to people the house in Callawa Street was locked up on December 23 and everything was in order when the resident went on holidays until January 2.
While the resident was away, a lock was broken on a ground-floor window, the house was ransacked, and items were stolen.
During a forensic examination Davis' fingerprints were found in a bedroom. He said he went into the house to take illicit drugs, the house was already trashed, and he did not take anything.
MAP: The street where the offence occurred ...
According to police, Davis thought no one lived in the house due to the state of it when he went inside.
Mr Day gave Davis a 12-month conditional release order with the condition he be of good behaviour.
The offence put Davis in breach of a community correction order for stealing $11.
Mr Day said that order still had a long way to run so he took no action on the breach but warned solicitor John Song that Davis was exposing himself to risk of more serious penalties.
"People's houses, even if they have been trashed, are not his premises to go poking around in," Mr Day said.
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