‘Blackguard son is assaulting me in my own home’

A woman who accompanied her 16-year-old son to a juvenile court yesterday broke down in tears and pointed to him saying: “This blackguard is assaulting me in my own home”.

When strict bail conditions were being placed on the teenager, his mother sought a further condition - “not to take knives to his brothers”.

The woman explained that her son, before the court, had two younger brothers who suffered ill health.

Judge Con O’Leary made it a condition of the 16-year-old’s bail he would not threaten his siblings. Other conditions require him not to be verbally or physically abusive to his mother, remain away from a shopping area near his home where he has allegedly caused trouble, stay off intoxicants, keep a nightly curfew from 9pm to 8am and have no contact with five other named teenagers.

Garda Jonathan Sullivan said: “He has very little respect for his mother or for authority. He does what he likes.”

The teenager is accused of smashing a window at a shop on March 20 and wilfully obstructing Garda Sullivan when questioned about the matter the following day.

The case had been adjourned until yesterday and Judge Con O’Leary said, in the ten days since, his mother had not organised a solicitor to represent her son. She had two other children who had ill-health at home.

Judge O’Leary said he wondered if the defendant was being minded properly at home.

At that point, the mother burst into tears. She said she did not know what she would do without the help of the gardaí.

Inspector Gary McPolin said gardaí would be calling to the defendant’s home and make sure he was keeping his curfew. Solicitor Eddie Burke, was appointed to represent the accused.