Boy grabbed by throat, kicked and punched for €1

A 13-year-old boy was grabbed by the throat and kicked and punched by two younger children looking for €1 during an attempted daytime mugging in a suburban shopping centre in Cork.

Gardaí revealed yesterday that they had questioned two 12-year-old boys following the attack which happened in the Hazelwood Shopping Centre in Glanmire, Co Cork. According to garda sources the victim was walking back home after a match had been called off. As he passed through the shopping centre last Sunday at around 11.30am he was approached by the two younger boys.

"They demanded a euro off him, but the boy said he hadn't any money. One of them grabbed him by the throat and the other then punched him in the stomach," the garda source said.

The two then searched his pockets for cash and when they didn't find any they then ripped open his bag.

The victim, who was very traumatised by the attack, was saved from worse punishment by a patrolling garda who came to his aid.

Both attackers were taken to Glanmire Garda Station where they were questioned about the incident.

Due to their age a file is being prepared for the Garda National Juvenile Office in Dublin where senior officers will decide what action will be taken against them.

An increase in youth crime in parts of Cork has prompted a garda crackdown with more children now appearing in the juvenile courts.

In Cork city last Monday three boys and a girl with an average age of 15 were given curfews and ordered to stay out of Cork city centre.

They were described as ringleaders of a gang of 10 juveniles who were drinking on the streets, taking drugs, shoplifting and using abusive and threatening behaviour.

The children, who all live in the suburbs, had been persistent offenders and gardaí felt they had no alternative but to bring them to court.

The curfew means they must stay at home between the hours of 8pm and 8am, which will be regularly monitored by gardaí. In addition, the children are not allowed to cross either the north Lee or south Lee channel into the city centre, unless they are appearing in court or meeting their solicitor.

They are also barred from meeting each other. The court issued the conditions for a three-week period. However, this can be extended if necessary.

A garda spokesman said, in the meantime, files had also gone to the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to a number of other incidents.

Meanwhile, in Fermoy last Friday another juvenile court handed out a two month sentence in St Patrick's Institution in Dublin to a 15-year-old boy who tried to burn down the local Church of Ireland. Gardaí said there was no sectarian motive to the attack which took place last summer.