Robber tried to force boy, 15, to drink urine
Judge Clare Leonard said in the 17-year-old’s case at the Dublin Children’s Court that “underlying all this very serious offending is drink and drugs”.
He had pleaded guilty to robbery and threatening to kill or cause the 15-year-old serious harm at Queen’s Road, Dun Laoghaire, on July 21 last year.
Defence solicitor Sarah Molloy said his parents had made “exhaustive efforts” to help him, including getting him psychiatric counselling and psycho-therapy.
“There is no question that we would be letting you out to offend again in this fashion but we would like more structures put in place,” Judge Leonard told the defendant, as she ordered a further two-week remand in custody.
The judge said he needed a placement in a residential treatment centre and bail could not be granted until help was available.
The case was adjourned until September 20.
An 18-year-old was detained in June for six months for taking part in the same incident.
Earlier, Garda Paul Kelly, of Clontarf station, told the court that the victim was forced on to a bus by three youths and “held against his will”.
“For the length of the journey, they had him upstairs and repeatedly beat him and made threats to kill him and members of his family if he reported it to the gardaí,” he had said.
They took his phone, jumper and iPod, threatened that on another date “property and money was to be brought to a location by the injured party” and “tried to make him drink urine” from a beer can.
The victim, who was “severely traumatised” and has stopped travelling by bus, was “punched repeatedly to his arms and torso”.
The garda also said the 17-year-old was not the ring leader but “took full part”.
The court was told that the youth, who had no prior criminal convictions, had behavioural difficulties from early childhood and began abusing alcohol in his teenage years.
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