Teenagers in court after gun and petrol bomb attack

Three teenage boys arrested over a gun and petrol bomb attack on a home in Dublin at Easter appeared in court today.

The trio had been earlier remanded on conditional bail to appear in the Dublin Children’s Court today, where Judge Patrick McMahon was told further time was sought for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

All three, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are from west Dublin, and were accompanied to court by their families.

Garda Karl Keane of Blanchardstown Station told the court that DPP directions were still awaited.

“It is quite a substantial file,” he told the judge, adding that more than 100 statements had been taken.

Boy A, aged 15 years, is charged under the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act for reckless discharge of a firearm, on March 23 last, Easter Sunday, at Sheephill Green, in Blanchardstown in Dublin.

Boy B, who is 17 years old, is charged under the Criminal Damage with possessing a petrol bomb with intent to cause damage to property, at the same location on the following day, Easter Monday.

Boy C, who is aged 15, but was 14 years old at the time of the alleged incident, faces the same charge.

Judge McMahon remanded the trio, who have been granted legal aid, on continuing bail for the DPP’s directions on the prosecution.

The three teens, who remained silent during their court appearance today, are subject to a number of strict bail terms.

They had been ordered to obey a curfew to be in their homes between 9pm and 7am, to sign on three times a week at their local Garda station, to remain out of the Dublin 15 area and not to have any contact with any witnesses in the case.

He agreed to vary the curfew hours to 10pm to 7am for one of the 15-year-olds, who is in a training course and attends a sports club in the evenings.

He also made an amendment to the bail to allow the parents of the 17-year-old to take their son away for a weekend break. The boy’s father said: “Thanks very much, we need it.”