Student stabbed for his mobile, court told

A teenager mugged a student at knife point and then stabbed him three times for his mobile phone, the Dublin Children’s Court heard Tuesday.

Garda Keith Halley of Santry garda station told Judge Thomas Fitzpatrick that it was alleged that a Dublin City University student had left his accommodation at Shanowen Square, in Santry, in Dublin, when he was approached by the 17-year-old boy and two others.

“He was asked for his phone but refused and as he did so the accused proceeded to stab him a number of times trying to inflict injuries so the phone would be handed over,” he said.

He told the court that the victim was stabbed three times, once to his arm and twice on his back. He received three stitches to his wounds.

Garda Halley also told the court that in the early hours of the following morning a woman was mugged and knocked to the ground. The teenager was allegedly caught trying to use her bank card at a nearby ATM.

The boy is charged with assault causing harm to the student, on the night of April 3 last and possession of stolen goods from the second alleged incident.

Judge Thomas Fitzpatrick refused jurisdiction to hear the case in the Children’s Court. He ordered that it should be sent forward on indictment to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court instead.

The boy, who was accompanied to court by his mother, was remanded on bail, with strict conditions including a curfew from 10pm to 8am, until a date in October when he is to be served with the book of evidence in the case and returned for trial.