Teen blamed party for dad's heart attack, court told

A teenager attacked his neighbours' home believing that a house party they had held was responsible for his father's heart attack, a court heard today.

The row between the feuding neighbours in Clondalkin erupted after one family held a party which the teenager believed led to his father suffering a heart attack, Judge Michael Connellan heard at the Dublin Children's Court.

The 17-year-old had pleaded guilty to charges for criminally damaging windows in the neighbour family's home and the rear window of the car as well as a charge for trespassing on their property on July 19 last year.

In evidence, prosecuting Garda Michael Gregg, Ronanstown Station, said that while on patrol that night he received a report of a disturbance at the victim's home.

When he arrived he found the teenager in an agitated state banging on the front door of their home.

Garda Gregg said that it took some time before he managed to calm the teenager down so he could account for his behaviour.

The boy told him that his father had been taken to hospital that day after suffering a heart attack.

He blamed the neighbours for his father's condition and said he was going to smash up their house.

Eventually Garda Gregg calmed the boy down and cautioned him and his friend who was present to leave the area.

Nearly a half an hour later Garda Gregg was again called to come back to the same house following more complaints.

The front window of the house and the rear window of a car parked outside had been smashed in, witness said.

He then went to the teenager's home to arrest him and while he was escorted to the patrol car he was aggressive and had to be handcuffed.

The boy's family had complained over the neighbours party on the previous night and he had believed it caused the stroke, the court heard.

In mitigation, defence solicitor Ms Sarah Molloy conceded that the offence was extremely serious but submitted that for the boy, who had no previous convictions, it was "once off, isolated" incident between neighbours.

She said the boy comes from a loving and supportive family, had pleaded guilty and is in employment.

Both his parents told Judge Connellan that there son had not caused them any other problems before.

Judge Connellan said it is clear that the boy comes from a good home as both of his parents had accompanied him come to court, which he said is a rarity in the Children's Court.

But he added that he was concerned that the teenager had a short fuse which is compounded by his drinking and recommended that the boy should get counselling over his alcohol abuse otherwise he will get into "serious trouble."

"Young people have drink too much and then end up in trouble, if he had been sober I think he would not have got involved in this," Judge Connellan said.

He ordered €400 compensation to be paid to the neighbours, who have since moved away from the area.

He also remanded the teenager on bail until a date in September for a Garda report on the boy's behaviour.

He had noted from Garda Gregg that although the boy has not been arrested since the night of the offence, he has come to notice over his drinking.

He indicated that should the boy stay out of trouble he will give him a chance and apply the Probation Offenders' Act, leaving him without a conviction.