Teen must write letter of apology for threatening woman's home

A 16-year-old boy, who threatened to wreck a woman's home, believing she had his dogs impounded by the council, has been ordered to write a letter of apology and remanded on continuing bail pending sentence.

The south Dublin teenager pleaded guilty to threatening to “smash in all the windows in the house” of a neighbour, on August 22 last year.

Judge Heather Perrin heard at the Dublin Children's Court that “the accused called to the lady's address and threatened to smash in her windows”.

Garda Andrew Doyle said the boy mistakenly believed that the woman complained to the council about his dogs which where seized from him because he did not have licences for them.

“He thought she called the council and threatened to smash in her windows if she did not get the dogs back,” Garda Doyle had told the court.

He said the woman had a young family and felt threatened by the defendant.

The court heard that on April 3 and July 28 last the teenager had been involved in public order incidents, in Dun Laoghaire and Swords, in Dublin, where he had been involved in street brawls.

Judge Perrin noted that the boy had been ordered to meet with his probation officer but had missed all of his three appointments. The teen told the court that he would “smarten up” and co-operate if given another chance.

Defence solicitor Michelle Finan told the court that the boy's father, who was present, was anxious for his son to be given help over his drinking and to assist him in finding an education and training course.

Judge Perrin agreed to give the boy a final chance to co-operate with the Probation Service and adjourned the case until July for sentencing. She also ordered him to write bring a letter of apology for the woman.