Gardaí hope to charge teen after boy locked in car boot
The boy was hospitalised and traumatised after being beaten and locked in a boot of a car for four hours.
During the abduction, the boy’s sister received a threatening phone calldemanding €4,000 for his release.
Garda sources said no money was handed over. Gardaí said two or three people were involved, but that they had arrested the main suspect, aged 19.
“We believe he did the beating, the abduction and the demanding of money,” said a Garda source.
Investigators believe they have enough to at least bring a charge of assault, but said it will depend on the 16-year-old making a statement. If gardaí secure the necessary evidence, the suspect could be charged with more serious offences of abduction and demanding money with menace.
The ordeal began shortly before 5.30am yesterday after an argument broke about between a group of teenagers from the Donabate area and another group of older youths from the Ronanstown area of Clondalkin, west Dublin.
The group from Ronanstown were driving along Beaverstown Road in Donabate in a Volkswagen Passat when something hit their car. They got out and chased the local youths.
“When they caught this 16-year-old they gave him a few digs and threw him into the boot of the car.”
The Passat used in the incident was recovered by gardaí and is being examined for DNA, fingerprint and forensic evidence.
