Screwdriver murder accused remanded for two weeks

A 17-year-old boy charged with the murder of a Polish man in Drimnagh, Dublin, in February, has been further remanded in custody by the Children’s Court pending the preparation of the book of evidence in the case.

The teenage boy, who cannot be named because he is a juvenile, had been charged last weekend with the murder of Pawel Kalite on Benbulben Road, Drimnagh, on Saturday, February 23.

He had been remanded in custody by Dublin District Court on Saturday last to appear in the Children’s Court, in Smithfield, today.

At the Children’s Court today Detective Garda Eamon Maloney made an application to Judge Ann Ryan for a further two-week remand and for time to be extended for the service of the book of evidence in the case.

When asked by Judge Ryan whether the book of evidence would be completed by then he said “I do not contemplate it will be.”

Judge Ryan remanded the teenager in custody to St Patrick’s Institution for two weeks.

Wearing blue jeans, brown shoes, a striped shirt and cardigan the tall, slender teenager remained silent during the brief proceedings today.

The boy, who is from the south-east inner city area of Dublin, was accompanied to the case by his father, an aunt and her boyfriend.

Judge Ryan acceded to a request from defence solicitor Sarah Molloy to allow the boy to have a brief meeting with his family in the courthouse custody area after the case.

Earlier in the proceedings, Det-Garda Maloney had said he arrested the defendant at 10.24pm on Friday night last at Crumlin garda station, in the presence of his father.

The youth was then charged with the offence at 11.05pm.

Det Maloney had said that when the boy was cautioned, he was invited to make a reply, to which he answered "no".