Hi °C | Lo °C A MASKED youth, who brandished a hammer when he attacked and tried to rob a shop worker bringing a cash lodgement to a bank, has been remanded on bail pending sentence.
The 17-year-old pleaded guilty at the Dublin Children's Court to a charge of attempted robbery of the woman, at Main Street, Leixlip, Co. Kildare, on January 23 last year.
Garda John Faherty told Judge Ann Ryan yesterday (THUR) that the shop worker had been on her way to the bank and was carrying “a large amount of cash”.
The youth “came around a corner, he had his head covered, was wearing a pair of gloves and holding a small hammer”.
He attacked the woman, who was knocked to the ground, and tried to take the money bag from her before fleeing empty handed.
The court heard that the boy, who is on bail, had been abusing drugs at the time and had three prior criminal convictions, one for theft and two for robbery.
The shop worker suffered minor bruising but the youth did not use the hammer to strike her, the court also heard.
Judge Ryan also heard that his family is getting assistance from the HSE and the teenager is regarded as a suspect in other serious crimes.
The teen, who was accompanied to his hearing by his mother, is no longer abusing drugs and the judge said a welfare report on him was positive.
She adjourned sentencing for three weeks.
