Teen burglary accused banned from Dublin's northside

A south Dublin boy has been barred from the city's northside after he was charged over a house burglary at the weekend.

“You better understand, if you are in breach, you go away,” Judge John Coughlan told the boy (aged 17), who was brought before the Children's Court this morning to be charged with trespassing with intent to commit a theft, at a house on Home Farm Road in Drumcondra on Saturday evening.

Garda Ciaran Murrihy told Judge John Coughlan that the teen was arrested at the scene and was detained at Ballymun Garda station where he was interviewed. The boy, who is from south Dublin, made no reply when he was charged and was then held pending his court appearance this morning.

Garda Murrihy objected to bail saying “this is a serious matter” and he added that the teenager claimed he had been residing with his mother. However, the mother, who was in court, had told the Garda that her boy had been staying with relatives for the past two weeks.

Counsel for the boy agreed her client had been staying with relations, but said he normally lived with his mother.

Judge Coughlan noted that the unemployed teenage boy had not co-operated with gardaí but decided to grant bail subject to a conditions.

He ordered the teenager to obey a 6pm to 8am curfew at his home address and to sign on twice daily at his local garda station, and he also agreed to a Garda request to add another bail condition “to stay out of the north-side of Dublin city.”

"No, no no," he added as he refused a request from the defence to alter the terms to allow the boy sign on at a different Garda station on a forthcoming date when he is to attend a wedding which is taking place outside of Dublin.

Legal aid was granted and the teen was remanded to appear again in March.