Teens charged in relation with attack remanded on bail pending medical report of victim's injuries

Two schoolboys charged in relation to a sustained street attack on a man who was allegedly beaten with a rock and a metal pole have been remanded on continuing bail for medical reports on the victim’s injuries to be obtained.

The boys, who are aged 17 and 18, are from the Middle East and in care, have been charged at the Children’s Court with assault causing harm to a man, in his 20s, at South Richmond Street in Dublin, on March 19 last.

A decision has yet to be made whether the case is to be retained in the Children’s Court or instead be sent forward to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court which has wider sentencing powers.

Today, Judge Ann Ryan noted that the case has been before the court a number of times.

However, she agreed to a request from Garda Eoghan O’Neill of Harcourt Terrace station to grant further time for the medical report on the victim to be obtained.

He said the report was ready to be furnished to him but needed to be signed by the doctor who had attended to the victim.

The pair, who were accompanied to court by care workers, were remanded on continuing bail for two weeks. However, the judge consented to an application from defence solicitor Michelle Finan to mark the case peremptory against the State meaning it will be struck out on the next date if the report is not available.

The judge was also critical that an interpreter requested by the Court Services to translate the case for them was not present today. “I want Court Services, to contact the interpreters,” she said.

Ms Finan said that the pair had good English but found it difficult to understand the technicalities of the legal proceedings.

Garda O’Neill of Harcourt Terrace station had said earlier that the man was left with cuts on his cheek, the top and back of his head, over his right eye, the base of his neck and needed eight stitches to his face.

He had been attacked by two youths and it was alleged the younger defendant had used a metal pole and a rock.

“The assault began at South Richmond Street and ran on into Rathmines where the injured party went into a shop,” he had said.

The teens’ solicitor is to prepare a plea for their case to be kept in the Children’s Court.

The submission comes under Section 75 of the Children Act which sets out grounds where the Children’s Court can retain jurisdiction for a case involving serious allegations, by taking into consideration the age and level of maturity of a juvenile defendant.

The 18-year-old defendant was a juvenile at the time of the incident.