McAnaspie died in 'horrific circumstances', court hears

Murdered teenager Daniel McAnaspie died in “the most horrific circumstances,” his solicitor told the Dublin Children's Court today.

McAnaspie, a slim 5 foot seven inch tall 17-year-old Dublin boy, with short brown hair, had been missing since February 25 and last seen in the Blanchardstown area in Dublin.

His body, which sustained several stab wounds, was found in a drain, at Rathfeigh, in Co Meath, last month.

The youth, who was in care, had made appearances at the Children's Court in Dublin.

However, he was not a repeat offender and just faced one charge for stealing a television set, which he admitted, from a north Dublin care home in which he had been residing, on December 4 last.

With no prior criminal convictions, he had been on bail pending sentence when he went missing and his Children's Court case had been adjourned continually in his absence.

Today Garda Sergeant Seamus Treacy made an application to Judge Catherine Staines for that case to be withdrawn.

Defence solicitor Gareth Noble explained that the boy “had died in the most horrific circumstances”. Judge Stains withdrew the case.

In April, Mr Noble, gave a summary of the boy's situation to the court.

Explaining the boy's background and absence from the proceedings on April 26 last, Mr Noble had told the court that the teen's parents were dead and he had been the subject of a “full care order”.

However, a number of the Health Service Executive care placements he had been given “broke down”.

Mr Noble had said that after these proceedings had begun, the teenager had been moved into another care home in north Dublin which is where he had last resided.

He had told the proceedings that a guardian ad litem had been appointed to the boy during separate childcare proceedings in another court.

“The guardian was hoping that court would make an order for a placement in Sweden, which the guardian identified as appropriate for him,” Mr Noble said.

This referred to Hassela Gotland a special care unit providing therapy and help for extremely troubled teens. It is located on a remote island in the middle of the Baltic Sea and in recent years, two other Irish children have been sent there for help.

Mr Noble had also told the court that an application for “secure care” for the boy was dismissed in May last year. “It was appealed but his case was closed,” he also said.