Probation for teen who ransacked school

A 17-year-old boy, who ransacked a Dublin school in a burglary and was arrested after gardai recovered his fingerprints at the scene, has been released on supervisory probation for one-year.

The Tallaght teenager pleaded guilty today at the Dublin Children’s Court to burgling Mac Dara’s Community College, in Templeogue, on October 13, 2007. He also admitted theft of a cash register and €5,070 from a shop, at Spawell, in south Dublin, on November 25, 2007.

The court heard that there had been a delay in getting the case to court because his fingerprints had been obtained a year later.

Garda Catherine Loftus said that during the school burglary “a number of rooms had been ransacked”.

Judge Ann Ryan noted that the teenager had no prior convictions but had another case pending against him. She said today that since the offences had taken place a relatively long time ago she would finalise the charges before the court.

She also noted that the boy, who was accompanied to court by his family, had no drink or alcohol addiction problems, had completed the Junior Certificate and was taking part in a project run by the Probation Service to assist troubled youths.

She released him on a probation bond compelling him to be of good behaviour and to accept and follow recommendations made to him by the Probation Service which will supervise his behaviour for the next 12 months.

Failure to comply with terms of the probation bond can result in the case being brought back to court which could then impose a custodial sentence.