Teen robber displayed 'unusual strategy and planning'

The case of a 13-year-old boy, who stole a patient’s handbag as she was being treated in a physiotherapist’s clinic, has been adjourned while the teen is the subject of a psychological and educational assessment in custody.

Judge Bryan Smyth heard at the Dublin Children’s Court today that the teen had been put into the National Remand and Assessment Centre, to allow the assessment to take place. He adjourned the case for a week.

The young west Dublin boy is awaiting sentence for a litany of burglary and trespassing charges.

The boy had displayed an “unusual sense of tactical planning and strategy” despite his young age, another judge at the Dublin Children’s Court had said earlier.

Efforts have also been made to have the boy re-instated in school.

The teenager’s father has had difficulties in trying to find a school for his son, the court had heard.

Garda Elaine Rowan of Terenure Station had told the court that the boy, who was then aged 12, and another youth entered the physiotherapist’s premise in Terenure, on June 12, 2005.

“They both asked if they could go to the toilet and took a bag that was in a cubicle where a patient was getting treatment,” she had said.

In another incident on September 5, 2005, the boy went into Templeogue College. He tried to get into a number of closed rooms and after a few attempts succeeded. He took a wallet containing €400 from jacket.

On September 15 last, he was caught trespassing at Nissan Ireland in Walkinstown, Dublin.

On May 22 last, he tried to steal from an optician’s shop. He and two friends pretended to be waiting for his mother. His friends distracted the receptionist as the boy tried to get into an adjoining room, however, he was disturbed and fled empty handed.

A judge had said earlier that the boy had been involved in “very serious matters” and she added that he “abused people’s trust.”

He showed “an unusual sense of tactical planning and strategy. He was quite clever about gaining entry to various places despite being so young.”