Teen who allegedly started school fire further remanded in custody

A 14-year-old boy, who allegedly caused €850,000 worth of damages by starting a fire which gutted a Gaelscoil in Lucan, in Dublin, last year, was further remanded in custody today to a juvenile detention centre.

The Dublin Children’s Court also heard that there had been on-going concerns over the boy being under weight for his age and that his diet may have been a “contributing factor in his behaviour”.

The small boy is charged with causing criminal damage to Gaelscoil Naomh Pádraig, a national school, off Castle Road, in Lucan, and criminal damage to three waste bins, on April 20 last year. He was aged 13 at the time of the blaze.

Last week in court, he had agreed to be held in custody for educational and psychological assessments to be carried out. His solicitor Michelle Finan had said the boy had not been going to school or abiding by the conditions of his bail. “He’s finding it difficult to cope,” she had said.

Judge Ann Ryan further remanded him in custody to the National Remand and Assessment Centre, in Finglas, in Dublin for another three weeks to allow the assessments to be completed.

A family member, who has been caring for the boy, told Judge Ryan that there had been on-going concerns over the teen’s diet. He said he had been informed by a doctor earlier that the boy was significantly under weight for his age.

“We are concerned about this problem, for the last two years,” he said. “We feel that his lifestyle and diet are contributing factors to his behaviour,” he also said adding that the boy often went days without eating a meal.

The slightly built boy pledged to see his GP on his release from custody and with a chirpy “yeah”, he agreed with the judge that the meals in the detention centre were good.

Ms Finan also said that the teen was “happy to go back for three weeks” to complete the assessment. She added that so far while in custody, he was “doing very well”.

Prosecuting Garda Noel Maher had said it was alleged the teen “was playing football in the grounds of the school with friends and lit a wheelie bin that was beside the school.

“The school caught fire, approximately €850,000 worth of damages were caused.”

He had also added that he did not believe that the boy, who was accompanied to court by his grandfather with whom he lives, had intended to set fire to the school

A decision has yet to be made on whether the case would be retained in the jurisdiction of the Children’s Court or instead be sent forward to the Circuit Court, which on conviction, has greater sentencing powers.

The defence has submitted that the assessment would also assist in making submissions pleading for the case to be retained in the the Children’s Court.

It can retain jurisdiction for a case involving serious allegations, by taking into consideration the age and level of maturity of a minor – a person under the age of 18.