'Shy' thief may have cost woman more than phone

A "shy" teenage thief, who stole a mobile phone from a pregnant lady may have cost her more than mere financial loss, a court was told today.

The repeat offender, a 17-year-old boy, is facing 16 charges, at the Dublin Children’s Court for theft, skipping court, criminal damage and public order offences.

Garda Alec Cassidy, of the Bridewell Station, gave evidence today that on January 8 last he had been patrolling North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7, when he spotted the theft in progress.

“I saw the accused following a woman. He snatched her mobile phone from her hand and ran around a corner into an internet café. I pursued and arrested him,” he said.

Garda Cassidy continued saying: “The injured party has asked me to state that she was seven weeks pregnant at the time. A week after the incident she suffered a miscarriage.”

“She cannot say it was caused by it but it is something that she does wonder about. She asked me to state that he should be aware that his actions may have cost her more than mere financial loss,” he added.

The woman, who is in her early thirties, was not in court for the hearing. However, a victim impact report was handed in to presiding Judge Bryan Smyth who also heard evidence of the boy’s involvement in other incidents.

On March 21 last the boy was caught in possession of two stolen mobile phones; on January 26 last he was arrested for engaging in a breach of the peace and for failing to leave the vicinity after being cautioned.

He had been threatening members of the public and became aggressive and abusive to gardaí.

On January 24 last, he threw a bin through the window of the Spar shop on Church Street, D.7, causing €600 worth of damage.

On November 24 last, he was found rowing with a group of youths in north inner city Dublin; he was charged with being drunk and disorderly and breach of the peace.

Judge Smyth also noted that compensation for earlier criminal damage offences had been sought.

However defence solicitor Michelle Finan said the north inner city Dublin boy’s family did not have the means to pay. She appealed to the court to give the boy, whose mother was in court, bail and more time to work with the Probation Service. She said he was “very shy and found it difficult to open up. There were peers giving other advices and he was easily led.”

However, Judge Smyth said that the boy’s previous history of engaging with the Probation Service was “hopeless”.

Judge Smyth remanded the teen, who remained silent during the hearing, in custody to St Patrick’s Institution pending sentence.

The teen has been in custody a number of times over recent months. In April he was held because he had broken his bail conditions to remain sober and obey a nightly curfew to be indoors at his home from 8pm to 7am, four times within two days.

He was later given bail but did not turn up for his following court appearance which later resulted in his being arrested and remanded into custody until today.