The Queensland bloke who was caught on CCTV helping himself to a dip in a random family’s pool has now apologized to the family and explained the situation.
Earlier this week, homeowner Holly Stevens posted footage online of a man taking off his shoes, socks and shirt at the family’s front door, before hopping in the pool to do some stretches and have a wee swim.
Holly said the man had done it a handful of times since the start of the year, leaving her feeling concerned and uncomfortable.
That man has now been identified as 34-year-old Matt, who appeared on Channel 7’s Sunrise to explain the situation and extend an apology to the family.
Matt explained that he sometimes goes for a run around the area, and simply, he was just looking to cool down.
“I was just hot, and saw the pool and I just thought I’d go for a swim, that’s about it,” Matt said.
“Looking at the footage now, I feel a bit bad about it,” he continued.
When asked about homeowner Holly calling his post-run actions “gross,” he responded:
“They didn’t have an outdoor shower so there’s nothing I could’ve done about it. Ya know, I just had to make the most of it… Lucky I wasn’t nude or anything.”
Once Matt saw the CCTV footage online, he sought legal advice and then went to the cops, thinking he was in ‘big trouble.’
“I did seek legal advice as well, that’s how serious I thought it was. They said mate it’s probably in your best interest to turn yourself in,” Matt recalled.
The 34-year-old explained that he thought the house was a model home, and there was “no malice in it.”
“I genuinely thought it was a model home, like, an empty house.”
Matt, who clearly didn’t realise taking a dip in a stranger’s pool was gonna cause so much stress for everyone involved, offered his apologies to the family. He says he’s tried to reach out to them to apologise, but “they don’t wanna talk to me which is understandable.”
Speaking on the Australian breakfast show he said, “Look I just wanna say I’m sorry for swimming in your pool, hopefully we can put this behind us and go for a swim somewhere or I dunno, go for a drink.”
I reckon good on the guy for owning up and apologising. Definitely safe to say Matt won’t be helping himself to pools that aren’t his from now on!
