Nigerian teen on drug charge refused bail

Judge Bryan Smyth refused to grant bail to a Nigerian teenage asylum seeker charged with dealing in crack cocaine.

The Dublin Children’s Court head that the boy had been arrested on October 6 for possession of €3,000 worth of crack cocaine on Amien Street. At the time of his arrested he had €2,600 in cash on his person, the court had also heard.

He had been remanded in custody last week after the court heard that the 17-year-old was linked to a major Nigerian drugs gang which planned to take him out of the country if he got bail.

Defence counsel Niall Nolan said he was applying for bail on the grounds that there had been some developments since the bail hearing last week.

He submitted that the boy’s solicitor had not been able to take precise instructions from him when he was detained in Store Street Garda Station because he was too disorientated.

He also said that the boy’s social worker was not present while the boy was questioned and that there are plans to have the boy found new accommodation in a hostel run by the health board.

Mr Nolan also said that there are plans for the boy to start an educational course if released.

Garda Brendan Casey, Store Street Station, denied that the boy had been disorientated when questioned and added that his social worker had been contacted two hours after his arrest.

He also said the boy had been uncooperative about his identity, date of birth and address and it was a result of further investigation and receiving confidential information that the his name and personal details were obtained.

Judge Smyth held that there had been no changes in the boy’s circumstances and remanded him in custody for two weeks pending the DPP’s directions.

He said any further bail application should be brought to the High Court and not heard in the Children’s Court.

He was also told that the money found on the boy has been seized and is to be used as evidence in the case against him.