Teen charged in connection with €40,000 cocaine seizure

A 16-year-old boy, who has been charged in connection with a €40,000 cocaine seizure, has been remanded in custody after a court heard his mother was not prepared to take him home.

The boy, who was supported in court by his mother, is charged with possession of cocaine for the purposes of sale or supply at Oscar Traynor Road, Coolock, Dublin, on July 14, contrary to Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.

He had been remanded in custody following his arrest but on August 23 he was granted bail with strict conditions compelling him to obey a nightly curfew, reside at his home sign on at his local garda station daily.

However, Judge Catherine Murphy heard yesterday that the teen had been arrested in Swords on Tuesday last in connection with an alleged car theft. The teen, who is also facing sentence for the robbery of a mobile phone, had personal difficulties and had been involved in incidents of self harm.

The court heard the boy had broken the curfew set down by the court in August. He left his home and had been sleeping rough. “I took him back but he left on Friday,” said the teen’s mother who also indicated that she was not going to bring home again.

The teen was remanded in custody.

Meanwhile garda Anthony McNulty of Coolock station, who arrested the teen for the drugs, said directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions were still being sought.

Given the value of the drugs involved in the case, it would be likely that the teen would face trial in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Murphy said.

The court had heard earlier that it was believed the teen had been acting as a “courier”.

Before his arrest, the boy had been receiving treatment in a centre for troubled youths. His mother had not been able to cope with him and for her own safety and that of her other children could not take him home which led to him being remanded in custody after his arrest in July, the court heard.

For a week prior to his arrest, the north Dublin boy had no fixed abode and had not been living at home.