Boy, 14, tried to ram gardaí in stolen car, court hears

A 14-year-old boy driving a stolen car tried to ram gardaí and nearly mowed down pedestrians during a joyride, the Dublin Children’s Court heard yesterday.

The now 15-year-old boy has been charged with unlawfully driving a stolen car, driving without a licence and insurance, and two counts of reckless endangerment of life, in connection with the incident which happened on May 27 last, at Sherrard Avenue, in Dublin.

In evidence, Detective Garda Damien Murphy, of Fitzgibbon Street station, alleged that “he drove straight at our patrol car we swerved onto a footpath. If he had collided with us we would have suffered serious injuries.”

“He then careered across the road and crashed into railings; people had to run out of his way to avoid being injured,” he added.

Judge Ann Ryan held that the case against the teen was too serious to be heard in the Children’s Court. This means the boy is to face the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court which, if he is convicted, can impose lengthier sentences.

He was remanded on bail to appear again next month when he is to be returned for trial.

Meanwhile she released him on probation in relation to 13 other charges

In July, the boy, who recently resumed education after a lengthy period of refusing to go to school, had escaped receiving a sentence for these crimes because a juvenile detention centre had no room to hold him.

Judge Ryan noted yesterday that the boy had made “huge strides” in changing his life and said a probation report detailing his progress was excellent. She imposed a six month probation bond releasing the teen to be of good behaviour for the next six months.

A six-month road ban was also imposed on the teenager, who is just under two years too young to hold a driver’s licence.

The north inner city Dublin boy had been facing charges for travelling in stolen cars, illegal driving, interfering with motor vehicles, criminal damage, and public order violations which occurred over the last year.

His bail condition stated he was “not allowed to be in any mechanically propelled vehicle unless with his mother” and he has to obey a 9.30 PM to 7AM to curfew.

His charges: on May 1 last year, then aged 13, he failed to stop driving when signalled by a Garda and drove dangerously, at Summerhill Place, Dublin 1; September 29 last, he engaged in threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour likely to cause a breach of the peace; October 7 at Sean McDermott Street was in possession of a set of bolt cutters for use in connection with a theft offence; October 26 last, at Sherard Avenue, Dublin 1, criminally damaged a car’s, tried to steal the car and was possessing a hacksaw for use in a motor theft.

On November 4, last he engaged in a breach of the peace at East Wall Road; on November 11 last, at Emmett Street, Dublin 1, he unlawfully interfered with the mechanism of a vehicle; on February 20 last, travelled as a passenger in a stolen car, at the Ballybough Road. On May 6 last he was arrested for criminally damaging a factory’s door and then entering the premises as a trespasser with intent to commit and offence, at Foley, Street, in Dublin 1.