Youth charged with threatening to kill teacher faces further serious charges

AN armed teenager who broke into a school and threatened to kill the vice principal has further very serious charges against him.

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is charged with threatening to kill Patrick Lacey on August 14 last. He is further charged with stealing a bike on Barrack Street, Wexford, on August 8 last, and faces other serious charges.

His case was adjourned to February 7 at Wexford District Court.

A previous court sitting heard how the defendant set off the alarm when he broke into Wexford VEC school in the early hours of August 14 last.

Mr Lacey responded to the alarm call and went to the school grounds on Spawell Road to investigate. While talking around the perimeter of the building, the vice-principal saw the teenager climbing out of a window. He had an iron bar in one hand and a handgun in the other. The youth threatened to kill him, a garda told the court.

Garda Ian Doyle found the defendant behind a wall on Lower Abbey Street and saw him lying on the ground with the gun in his hand.

The youth sat wearing a tracksuit and runners on Monday in the children’s court, sitting opposite Judge Donnchadh Ó Buachalla.

Solicitor Catriona Walsh said the youth is in the care of the HSE. He has been living with an aunt in Carlow, while his mother lives in Bristol.

Ed King, defending, said his client has served most of a six-month detention and supervision order and is under the supervision of the probation services. “Clearly there are huge concerns in this case,” Judge Ó Buachalla said.

Inspector Pat McDonald said gardaí also had serious concerns about the youth. “There is another serious matter with the DPP at the moment.”

Mr King stressed that this occurred prior to the VEC incident.

The youth said: “I have calmed down and looked at the friends I had. I want to go to Carlow and go back to school and move on with my life. I don’t feel I need to use alcohol or narcotics anymore. I feel good about myself now… I don’t feel Wexford is the place for me.”

The court heard that the defendant picked up a pick-axe and raised it over his head a number of times while in care on January 3.

“Staff didn’t recover it for two days. On December 28 he was going around with aerosol cans,” Insp McDonald said.

The youth said he was heavily medicated those nights. “I had the pick axe and I was messing around.”

The judge said: “It does appear you need further help.”

It was agreed the youth would return to live in Carlow with his aunt until his case is heard again and that he would keep a strict curfew and arrange a meeting with a view to getting a residential place at the Aislinn Centre.