Teen who posed as garda remanded on bail to await sentencing

A 17-year-old girl, who posed as a member of the Garda Drug Squad when she subjected a woman to a violent mugging, was remanded on bail today to await sentencing.

The victim, a 22-year-old woman, had her hair pulled, was punched and had her head beaten off the ground by the girl, who had been trying to steal beer cans worth €19, from her, the Dublin Children’s Court heard.

The teenage girl pleaded guilty today to robbery at Thornleigh Road, in Swords, in Dublin, on November 24, 2007.

In evidence, Garda Pamela Hart said that the woman had been returning from a shop with her 13-year-old niece. She had been carrying a bag containing cans of beer when a car, in which the girl was a passenger, pulled up beside her.

The defendant “got out and said she was a member of the Garda Drug Squad and asked to take the cans”.

Garda Hart said that after the victim refused to hand them over the girl “pulled her hair, punched her and knocked her to the ground”.

“She continued to punch her on the head and hit her head off the ground,” Garda Hart said adding that during the mugging the woman had tried to defend herself.

The woman’s niece, who was present, ran off and rang the gardaí.

Garda Hart said the woman was left with two bumps on her head and bruised nose as a result of the robbery.

Judge Ann Ryan described the robbery as “very serious” but added that she was “amazed that there is no assault charge”.

She noted that the girl, who was accompanied to court by her father, had no prior convictions but was facing sentencing later this month for separate charges for possessing stolen goods, bottles of alcohol. A pre-sentence probation report had already been sought in relation that case.

Judge Ryan adjourned sentencing the girl, who remained silent during her hearing today, for two weeks, for a probation report to be furnished to the court.