Boy broke curfew for ill mother
A 15-year-old boy charged with assault causing harm broke his curfew at 2am to buy Lucozade for his mother.
The teenager was before Dublin Children's Court on the assault charge, which allegedly involved three youths breaking a foreign man's jaw and flattening his nose.
The alleged crime took place on Sean McDermott Street, on May 31 last.
Garda Cian Farrelly said he did not have a medical report but offered to show Judge Elizabeth MacGrath photographs which showed the man's injuries, which he had previously described as horrific.
He said that the DPP had recommended that a higher court should deal with the case unless a plea of guilty had been entered.
Defence solicitor Maura Kiely pointed out that her client had no previous convictions and that his co-accused had been dealt with in the district court.
The judge remanded him on continuing bail for preparation of a medial report on the injured party. The issue of jurisdiction will be decided then.
Diabetic
The court also heard that the defendant had been given an overnight curfew as part of his bail conditions but Garda Eamon Horan testified that the boy had breached those terms on Thursday morning.
"I spoke to the accused at 2am on Parnell Street, and not in the presence of any adult," he explained.
The boy's diabetic mother then told the court that she had sent him out to buy Lucozade as she was low in sugar.
The garda said that the boy had not mentioned this at 2am, but had said he was on his way home.
"I stopped him again at 2.55 on Hill Street," he added.
The judge explained to the boy's mother that, whatever her difficulties, he could not be the person to be allowed out after 9pm.
She fixed bail again and gave gardai permission to knock on the boy's door after 9pm to check that he was home.
The judge warned that he would be remanded in custody if he breached his bail terms.
hnews@herald.ie
- Tom Tuite and Natasha Reid
