Pregnant teenager 'held man for mugging', court told

A teenage girl, who was four months pregnant, allegedly helped pin a man against railings as he was head-butted and kicked my three young muggers, the Children’s Court heard today.

The girl (aged 17) pleaded not guilty today to assault causing harm to the Chinese national, at Mountjoy Square, in Dublin, on date in August last year.

Judge Bryan Smyth remanded the girl on bail until her hearing in December.

Outlining the allegations, garda Amy Collins said that she had been on plainclothes patrol of the area when she spotted the mugging in progress.

“There was a group of four youths, three males and one female. The injured party was standing with a phone in his hand. I saw the four surround him, push and restrain him against railings.”

The man was head-butted and punched and has been left with a scar over his left eye.

He told gardaí afterwards that the defendant was holding his hand in which he had his mobile phone during the assault.

The girl was accompanied to court by a sister as her mother could not take time off work.

The court was told that the girl was a recovering heroin addict. She had been living on the streets for a period after a fall-out with her family. However, she is now back at home with her family and using methadone. She was four months pregnant at the time of the incident, the court heard.

Judge Smyth said also said the girl’s mother should be present for the hearing of the case.