Church vandal remanded on bail

A 16-year-old boy, who sprayed graffiti on three church statues, has been remanded on continuing bail pending sentence today.

The teenager pleaded guilty to criminally damaging the statues at the St John the Baptist Church, in Blackrock, in Dublin, on February 26 last. He also admitted vandalizing a car by kicking off its wing mirror, on March 3 last.

Judge Bryan Smyth noted that since the teen, who resides in a care home, was given bail on June 11 there had been an improvement in his behaviour and that he had secured a job.

However, concerns had been raised that the teen had broken bail conditions compelling him to obey a curfew and not to consume alcohol.

He granted bail to the teen until next week so his conduct could be monitored further.

“If he is going to be in breach of his bail it is likely bail will be revoked,” he warned.

Garda Michael McCarthy of Blackrock station had the Dublin Children’s Court that “three statues had been defaced by silver paint, the teenager was identified from CCTV and the damages cost €1,168”.

Earlier Judge Smyth said the there had been a pattern of the boy being “granted bail, breached bail conditions and then being remanded in custody.”

“We are just going around in circles,” he said.