Crash teen locked up

A teenage car thief, who wrote off a car which he crashed outside a Garda station, has been detained for eight months by Judge Bryan Smyth at the Dublin Children’s Court.

The boy (aged 17), pleaded guilty to the car theft which happened on November 24 last year. He also admitted another charge for being drunk and disorderly and for not turning up to his court case previously.

Garda Grainne McGauley told the court that the car had been driven along Oscar Traynor Road, in Dublin when he “crashed outside Coolock Garda station". He was arrested nearby.

The car’s owner had bought it for €4,000 a few months previously and had spent another €1,000 in modifying and improving it, before it was stolen and written off.

Defence solicitor Mr John Quinn said the boy had left school early and had developed problems with alcohol.

Garda McGauley told Judge Smyth that the boy, who was supported in court by his mother, had six previous convictions, for attempted motor thefts, skipping court and being drunk and disorderly. Last year he was detained for three months.

“That seems quite a serious matter given what happened,” said Judge Smyth as he imposed and eight month sentence in St Patrick’s Institution.