Father-to-be, 15, escapes prosecution for mugging

A 15-year-old boy, who is about to become a father, and already has 29 criminal conviction has escaped prosecution for an alleged mugging of a foreign national.

The out of school teenage father-to-be, who has a litany of convictions for burglaries, had been charged with robbing the man’s wallet which contained €80, at Dawson Lane, D2, on September 26 last.

Prosecuting Garda Keith Fitzpatrick of Pearse St station applied for the case to be struck out telling the court that since the incident, the victim has not made himself available to make a statement.

Judge Catherine Murphy consented to strike the case out.

The teen is serving a one-month detention sentence imposed two weeks ago for stealing €600 from a Chinese man, at College Green, Dublin, which happened on the same day.

The out of school boy, who had been living in south Dublin, has a litany of convictions for burglaries, assaults, larcenies, escaping from lawful custody, public order violations and violent behaviour in a Garda station.

The court heard that the boy, who has been out of school since early childhood, had developed a drug addiction problem.

His girlfriend is in the early stages of pregnancy and it is possible “this may have a positive impact on him,” the court had been told at his earlier hearing.