'One man crime-wave' teen sentenced

A 15-year-old boy, who was described earlier this week as a “one man crime-wave”, has received an eight-month sentence.

The boy had pleaded guilty at the Dublin Children’s Court to 13 charges many of which were committed whilst he was on bail.

The court heard he was admitting: theft of an electric razor worth €150 from a shop on the North Circular Road, on July 22 last year; driving a stolen car, and criminal damage to the vehicle, at O’Devaney Gardens, D7, on August 8 last; stealing a mobile phone worth €150 at Wolfe Tone Park, in Dublin 1.

He also admitted possessing a hammer for use in connection with a motor theft, at the Phoenix Park, on October 29 last; a breach of the peace and trespassing on property with intent to commit a theft, at the Navan Road, in Dublin, on October 25 last; criminal damage to a car, at O'Devaney Gardens, on November 30 last; having a vice grips in his possession to use in the course of a theft, at Mountpellier Park, in Dublin 7, on September 22 last.

On November 8 last he trespassed, at the North Circular Road, and was in possession of a hammer for use in a theft offence.

On November 19 he was caught shoplifting and engaged in a breach of the peace.

Judge Ann Ryan noted that earlier this week the boy, who was accompanied to court by his mother, had been given an eight month sentence the Finglas Children’s Centre, detention unit for young offenders.

She finalised the charges before the court today and imposed an eight-month term to run concurrent to the existing sentence.

On Wednesday last the boy had been detained by Judge Bryan Smyth who had heard that the teen viciously mugged a Chinese delivery man who was beaten and then had garlic sauce poured over him.

Garda Brian Quirke had then told the court that the victim, who had not been in Ireland long, suffered two swollen eyes and a cut face. He had recovered from his injuries but the incident left him “very shook” and he did not return to work.

The boy was a “one man crime-wave,” he had added.

In mitigation the court was told that the boy had an unsettled upbringing and had accumulated the charges in recent months.

Earlier he had been remanded in custody by Judge Bryan Smyth for educational and behavioural assessments to be carried out. He was let out for the Christmas period when further offences, including the mugging of the Chinese national, were committed.

The teen had been given bail earlier on condition he obeyed a curfew to be in his home from 9pm to 7am and not to associate with certain youths from his area but had broken these conditions repeatedly.

Judge Ryan had said “I think it has got to the stage where he needs to be assessed properly.

“Remanding him in custody like this and letting him out for a period where he ends up in the situation of re-offending is not getting anyone anywhere.”