Teens face jury trial in connection with violent burglary

Two teenagers were served with a book of evidence today and sent forward for trial before a judge and jury for taking part in a burglary where a man was allegedly beaten and stabbed in his home.

The boys (aged 17) had been charged at the Children’s Court with burglary while in possession of knives, at a house in north Dublin, on the night of December 17 last.

Jurisdiction to keep the case in the Children's Court was refusedtoday by Judge John O'Neill who held that it should be heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, which on conviction has wider sentencing powers.

The boys, who deny the allegations, were served with a book of evidence and the judge made an order sending the case forward to the higher court for trial.

A third youth is also charged with having a pickaxe handle during the alleged burglary and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest today when he failed to turn up for his case.

The Children's Court had heard earlier that vehicles at the complainant's home had been vandalised and three people allegedly broke into his house and assaulted him.

“The injured party fled into his house and was pursued,” Garda Daniel Sweeney had told the court earlier. “The front door to his house was kicked in and they assaulted him,” he had also alleged adding that the man had been stabbed in his arm.