Teen who broke curfew three times remanded pending sentencing

A 16-year-old boy, who broke a court-imposed curfew three times in one day, was remanded in custody for two weeks today.

The teenager had been given bail on Monday last week pending sentencing in April after he pleaded guilty to motor theft, Judge Elizabeth MacGrath was told at the Dublin Children’s Court

As a condition of his bail he had been ordered to obey a 9pm to 8am curfew at his north inner city Dublin home and to attend appointments with his probation officer.

However, the following day the teenager was observed by gardaí at a flat complex at about 10pm.

Three days later he was spotted three times, in breach of his curfew. “I stopped the accused at 3.55 am at Ormond Quay, I observed him in Stoneybatter at 4.14 am and I stopped him at 9.20pm,” Garda Ciaran Callaghy said.

He told Judge MacGrath that the boy was also arrested for a criminal damage offence.

Judge MacGrath noted that the teenage boy, who was accompanied to court by his father, had broken the terms of his bail on previous occasions resulting in him being held in custody.

Defence solicitor Mr John Quinn said the boy was asking the court to give him another opportunity and to grant him bail.

However, Judge MacGrath refused and remanded the boy, who remained silent, in custody to St Patrick’s Institution for two weeks pending sentence and for a probation report to be obtained.