Teen beat man as children watched

Tom Tuite

A 16-YEAR-OLD boy who beat up a man in front of two small children during a daylight robbery in Dublin city has been remanded on continuing bail pending sentence.

At the Dublin Children's Court, Judge Clare Leonard noted that the Probation and Welfare Service was seeking more time to work with the teenager, who was accompanied to his case by his mother.

She remanded him on continuing bail for an updated pre-sentence report to be furnished to the court on a date in March.

She said an existing report furnished to the court was positive and showed the boy has stopped using head shop drugs. However he was still abusing cannabis and alcohol which she warned could lead to him "scrambling his brain".

Judge Leonard also noted that he was attending school and his mother had co-operated with the teen's probation officer who is supervising him.

The boy, who had no previous criminal convictions, and a co-accused aged 17 have pleaded guilty to assault and robbery of the man on Parnell Street, on April 6 last.

hnews@herald.ie