‘Smirking’ youth ran after hitting car containing kids

A Dublin youth was “smirking and then ran off” after he ploughed into a car carrying two young children, a court was told yesterday.

The Dublin Children’s Court heard the boy and girl, aged 10 and 6, were pulled from the wreckage by their father who was supposed to be celebrating his 40th birthday on the date of the collision with a stolen car.

It is alleged the 17-year-old defendant, who cannot be named as he is still a minor, caused more than €40,000 of damages, and he faced a preliminary hearing for a trial venue ruling. He is charged with stealing a 2014 Skoda Octavia from a residence in Stamullen in Co Meath, on March 4. He also faces three counts of dangerous driving three days later at the Walshestown roundabout and at two locations on the R132 in north Co Dublin, and he is accused of causing criminal damage to another vehicle on the same date.