Convicted teen crashed into car with pregnant mother

A 14-year-old schoolboy crashed into a car that was carrying a pregnant woman and her 10 month old son during a Halloween night joyride, the Dublin Children’s Court heard yesterday.

The schoolboy, who is now aged 15, was convicted for dangerous driving and two counts of criminal damage to the vehicles involved in the crash, which occurred in Tallaght last Halloween night.

A Nissan Micra had been stolen from a car park near the Square Shopping Centre in Tallaght earlier that day. Later a man had been travelling to his parents’ house when his car was struck by the Nissan Micra. His partner, who was pregnant, and his 10-month old son were in his car when it was hit.

“This car came out of nowhere and walloped into the side of me. My car spun out of control onto the middle of the road,” he said.

Windows smashed in on top of him and his baby son, he said.

He got out of his car and saw the defendant fleeing and managed to restrain him. However, the boy’s mother came on the scene soon after and an argument ensued during which the boy managed to break free, Judge Bridget Reilly heard.

The man was €300 out of pocket as a result of the crash. His car was written off and underwritten by his motor insurance which saw his premium increase. The owner of the Micra, which was also left a write-off, suffered a loss of about €1,000.

No serious physical injuries were sustained.

The court was told that the teen, who has no previous convictions, had admitted to being a passenger in the car but denied being the driver. He admitted that he had drunk five bottles of beer that day and later took a lift in the hot-wired car.

He said he could not name the other people who had been in it or the driver for fear that he would get “a hiding".

Judge Reilly convicted the boy, who was supported in court by his mother. She said she wanted the victims to be compensated. She remanded the boy on bail until March next year when the sum of €600 is to be brought to court as compensation and split evenly between the two car owners.