Teen awaits trial date over stabbing

A youth has been remanded on bail pending trial for allegedly taking part in an attempted gang robbery where a Chinese delivery man was repeatedly stabbed and had his nipple “sliced”.

The 17-year-old boy has pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm and attempted robbery of the man, in a housing estate in west Dublin, on October 29 last year. He was due to face trial at the Dublin Children's Court next week.

However, today the defence applied to have the hearing date vacated and a new one set due to one of their witnesses not being available.

Judge Smyth ordered the boy, who was accompanied by his mother, to appear again in one week when the case is to be listed for mention and a new date set for his trial, which is expected to take a full day.

Earlier, Garda David Comerford had the court that it was alleged the delivery man had initially gone to a wrong address and had been trying reverse his car out of a housing estate.

“He was approached by a large group of youths, his vehicle was stopped in the middle of the road, the accused approached and proceeded to stab him with a knife or a blade on a number of occasions to his chest and hand,” Garda Comerford had alleged.

The court had heard that the man tried to escape but allegedly was dragged from the car.

It was also alleged he eventually got back into his vehicle and attempted to drive away but was hit a “seven or eight times” with beer bottles.

The court was told that he had a deep stab wound to one hand and his nipple was “sliced.”

He also had injuries to the back of his head and cuts to neck caused by broken glass, the court had heard during an earlier outline of the prosecution's allegations.