Hi °C | Lo °C A 16-YEAR-OLD boy, who started abusing alcohol at the age of seven, had to be restrained in court today as he shouted abuse at a judge when he was refused bail over a mugging in Dublin.
The teenager appeared at the Dublin Children's Court accused of robbery of a mobile phone from a man at the Ha’penny Bridge, on November 21 last.
Judge Ann Ryan had heard it the victim had been crossing the bridge when it is alleged that teenager and another male approached. The teen is alleged to have stolen a phone from the victim who gave chase.
He was then knocked to the ground and got kicked. Judge Ryan heard the man suffered “a swollen nose and a cut to his eye.”
Defence solicitor Gareth Noble had asked Judge Ryan to accept jurisdiction to deal with the case in the juvenile court. He said the boy intended to plead guilty and has had an alcohol problem for several years.
“Social worker reports indicate it first came to attention of his school where they located a bottle of vodka in his school bag at the age of seven,” the defence lawyer had said.
He also added that has tried to tackle his problem and the incident happened at a time when the boy “had been drinking excessively”.
However, Judge Ryan refused jurisdiction and held that the case should go forward to the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers.
The boy had been refused bail earlier following objections from gardaí and he appeared again at the juvenile court today where he was served with a book of evidence. Judge Ryan made an order sending the teenager forward for trial at which the youngster's father begged the judge to grant bail to him.
However, the judge refused at which point the boy suddenly stood up and began shouting. He called the judge “a mug” and screamed “F**k you, f**k the bail”.
Gardaí restrained him and he was then taken out of the courtroom in handcuffs after which his father apologised for his son's actions.
