Limerick teen feared he'd be shot on return home

A Limerick teenager has been remanded in custody after a court in Dublin heard he was scared he would be shot if he returned home.

The Dublin Children’s Court heard that the boy, aged 16, had attempted to flee the country with just €3 in his pocket after receiving threats that he was going to be shot by a family in Limerick to whom he owed money.

The boy was brought before the court following his arrest on foot of a bench warrant issued in Limerick over his failure to attend a separate court case there.

Dun Laoghaire Garda Eoin Maher said he arrested the teenager as he was preparing to board a ferry to Britain.

The teenager had his ticket and €3 on him when he was arrested over the bench warrant.

Objecting to bail, Garda Maher said the boy had said to him that if released on bail, he would leave the country.

The boy told Judge Bryan Smyth that he was leaving the country to live with a family member in Britain because he was afraid to return to Limerick.

He said that a family in Limerick had already made threats against him.

“I was threatened I’d be shot,” he said. He also raised the sleeve of his jacket to show the court a scar, which he claimed was a result of being stabbed.

Defence solicitor John Quinn said he was instructed that the teenager owed money to people in Limerick and was in fear.

The teen was also afraid he would be detained over the charges pending against him in Limerick.

After the boy was arrested in Dun Laoghaire his father was contacted but said he would not be available to come to the court because he had other children to look after.

The father asked for a social worker to attend the court instead, Judge Smyth was told.

The teenager claimed that he could live with extended family in Ireland.

However, Judge Smyth refused bail, saying gardaí would have to investigate this proposal and the teenager would have to be brought back before the court which had issued the bench warrant.

The boy was remanded in custody until next week.