Drunken act of trespassing into stranger’s house sees man in Kuching fined RM900

KUCHING (Jan 30): The Magistrates’ Court here today fined an unemployed man RM900 in default two weeks in jail for trespassing into another man’s house while drunk on Sunday.

Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan convicted Elexton Tony Peter, 26, on his own guilty plea to a charge under Section 448 of the Penal Code, which provides for an imprisonment term of up to three years, a maximum fine of RM5,000, or both, upon conviction.

Elexton committed the offence at the house of a 60-year-old man in Bandar Baru Semariang, Jalan Sultan Tengah here around 2.30am on Jan 28.

According to the facts of the case, the homeowner’s wife told him that someone was knocking loudly on the main door and the couple then found Elexton had entered their home.

Prior to the incident, the door had been locked from the inside and it is believed that Elexton had entered by forcefully pushing the door until the knob broke.

The homeowner lodged a police report and Elexton was arrested on the same day at around 2.45am.

No items were missing from the house.

The investigation found Elexton was soaking wet and intoxicated, apart from smelling like sewage and alcohol when he trespassed into the house.

It is understood that the homeowner had said Elexton was not aggressive, was kneeling, and had asked to call the police.

It is also understood that Elexton was drinking alcohol prior to the incident and did not remember what happened.

Insp Merylene Lindan Andrew Mang prosecuted the case while Elexton was unrepresented by legal counsel.