A man who earned himself the title of ‘the serial toilet clogger’ has been sentenced to 150 days behind bars, with three years of probation.
Patrick D. Beeman from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, was convicted of five counts of criminal damage to property for repeatedly plugging plastic bottles down toilets in the women’s bathroom at work, causing them to overflow.
The 26-year-old originally faced 12 counts of criminal damage to property, however seven charges were dropped last month, Sheboygan Press reported.
As reported by Milwaukee’s Fox 6, Beeman said in court on Monday:
I need to make things right and pray for forgiveness every day.
He reportedly told police he couldn’t explain his behaviour but that he would get strong urges to do things.
Police launched their investigation into Beeman after a women’s toilet at the Deland Community Center was found clogged with a plastic bottle in March 2018, according to court documents. Each clogged toilet cost the council around $200 to repair according to the complaint which was made.
State prosecutors recommended Beeman receive a 30-day sentence for his crimes, however Judge Kent Hoffman said there was a need for a more severe punishment on this occasion.
During a three year probationary period, Beeman will serve 150 days behind bars, and will be forced to pay $5,500 in restitution, complete 100 hours of community service and will not be allowed to possess or consume alcohol or any controlled substances.
The manager of an agency where the 26-year-old previously worked reportedly told police how Beeman had also damaged toilets at a company he was placed in by the agency.
As a result, Beeman had been moved to a second company where similar complaints of clogged toilets were made, according to court documents.
In the state of Wisconsin, criminal damage to property can result in misdemeanour or felony charges. Basic criminal damage, such as graffiti, counts as class A misdemeanour, and carries a punishment of up to nine months behind bars, a $10,000 fine or both. A penalty for a felony charge can carry a punishment of up to three years and six months in prison, $10,000 fine or both.
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Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.