Teen charged in connection with sex assault remanded in custody

A teenager charged with sexually assaulting a woman in Dublin in March was remanded in custody today at the Children's Court.

The boy has been charged with sexual assault, under section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) Act 1990, of a woman, in Blackrock, on March 21 last.

He is also accused of theft of a €50 note, a sim card, and €10 coins, from her, on the same date.

The DPP has recommended that the case should be dealt with at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court which has wider sentencing powers.

The teen, who cannot be named, had been granted bail earlier and ordered to sign on daily at his local garda station, obey a curfew from 9pm to 7am and to stay out of the Blackrock and Stillorgan areas in Dublin.

He was due to appear in the Children's Court on August 5 last for a preliminary hearing to determine whether the case should remain in its jurisdiction or instead be sent forward to the higher court.

However, he failed to turn up for his case on that date resulting in a bench warrant being issued.

Today the boy was brought before the court following his arrest on Wednesday last, in Temple Bar in Dublin.

Defence solicitor Sarah Molloy told Judge Bryan Smyth that her client consented to being held in custody.

“There is a large number of bail objections, there is no bail application today,” she said.

The teenager, who was wearing a hooded top, jeans and runners,remained silent during his brief court appearance in which he was accompanied to his case by his father. He was remanded in custody for one week.

Earlier the defence had said they would be preparing submissions under section 75 of the 2001 Children Act, pleading for the case to be kept in the juvenile court.

This sets out grounds where the Children’s Court can retain jurisdiction in a case involving serious allegations, by taking into consideration the age and level of maturity of a juvenile defendant – a person under the age of 18.