05-05-2025
Cocaine fiend sniffed so much gear he thought people had broke into his home
'Paranoid' drug user told cops he was convinced his home was being robbed
This is the cocaine fiend who shoved so much gear up his nose he thought people had broken into his home and repeatedly called 999.
Matthew McCavana appeared at Antrim Magistrates Court this week where it emerged he told cops who lifted him for repeatedly making hoax emergency calls that he was 'paranoid on cocaine'.
The 20-year-old, of Stiles Farm in Antrim, admitted a charge of wasting police time after he made nine calls to the 999 emergency number.
Sources in Antrim have described McCavana as an 'eejit' who is 'more of a nuisance' than anything more serious.
'He's only 20 but if anyone wanted an example of why cocaine is not a fun drug to get hooked on they should look at him,' said a source in the town who knows McCavana.
'The cops had been out to him before and he can get a bit feisty and there was one time they went to a relative's house looking for him and the cops were attacked by a dog.
'Hopefully he gets help and sorts himself out – he's so young to be hooked on something like cocaine.'
Court News NI reported how McCavana committed the offence on August last year.
McCavana admitted breaching a Community Service Order he had originally been given for the offence.
Matthew McCavana
Today's News in 90 Seconds - May 5th
He also committed a similar offence in February this year and admitted improper use of a communications network and attempting to damage a police vehicle.
A prosecutor told the court there had been 'nine hoax calls' to police which began at 7.15am on August 24 last year.
The mobile number used was linked to the defendant.
McCavana had repeatedly reported to police there were 'persons in his address' but when police had gone to his home at 8.15am they established that was not the case.
He was warned about not making any further calls but shortly after officers left his address, he made six further calls to the 999 system.
Police returned to his address and he was arrested for wasting police time by 'false reporting'.
When interviewed, he admitted making the calls but despite this McCavana made yet more calls in a separate incident in February.
On February 13 between 7.41am and 7.59am police received seven calls to 999 from a phone number associated with the defendant.
Matthew McCavana
During the night numerous calls had earlier been received from the same number.
Police attended his address and there was 'no emergency'.
When he was arrested he tried to 'escape' from a police vehicle by trying to open a door and then tried to smash a window with his fists.
A defence barrister said the defendant had been 'in a state of paranoia as a result of taking cocaine'.
She said the defendant fully appreciated the 'strain' on public resources 'never mind people making false reports and if he had been in his right mind he would never have been behaving in such a manner'.
District Judge Natasha Fitzsimons said the defendant had previously been given a Combination Order aimed at helping him to have a 'meaningful life'.
The judge deferred sentencing for three months to July to see if McCavana could avoid trouble and he has to engage with Community Addictions.
