Teen involved in riot to be sentenced in June

Sentencing of a 16-year-old boy, who was part of a Traveller feud-related riot which erupted outside a Dublin garda station last October, has been adjourned until June.

The boy had pleaded guilty earlier at the Children’s Court to engaging in violent disorder and production of a claw hammer during a dispute, at Ballymun Garda station, which happened on October 13 last year.

Garda Caitriona Beirne had told the court that the accused “came up to Ballymun station accompanied by eight or nine members of his extended family”.

“They attacked another family who were at the station making a complaint in relation to an on-going feud in Ballymun at the time,” she had said.

During the violence the boy had a claw hammer which he threw at the other family.

The boy had also admitted charges for trespassing and criminal damage during a second incident, at O’Reilly Electrics, on the Swords Road, in Santry, in Dublin on August 23 last year.

Garda Keith Halley had said that the teenager entered the business premises’ yard and moved steel wire cabling to one corner. He returned the next day with an accomplice and they began cutting up the cabling into “small reams”.

He said the teenager had caused some €3,400 worth of damages.

Garda Halley also told Judge Clare Leonard that the teenager had been twice arrested since his last court appearance for attempting to steal copper wiring from business premises, in Santry and Lucan in Dublin.

She said that “this puts a different complexion on things”. The teenager was remanded on continuing bail for an updated pre-sentence probation report to be obtained. The teen who has commenced a FAS training course has also been ordered to pay €1,000 compensation over the €3,400 worth of electrical wiring he damaged last August.

Earlier the court had been told that that the boy’s father regretted the entire incident at the garda station and was taking responsibility for his son’s involvement and accepted that he had “influenced his actions”.