Teen charged with possessing sawn-off shotgun to face jury trial

A 17-year-old boy charged with possessing a sawn-off shotgun is to face trial before a jury at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a judge has ruled.

The teen had been arrested following incidents which occurred following a row in a pub in Crumlin on November 2 last. Shots were fired into two houses in the Drimnagh area but no one was injured.

The teenager was charged on November 4 at the Children's Court with possessing a sawn off Danarms shotgun, at a laneway off Herberton Road, in Crumlin, Dublin, on November 2.

Today the teenager appeared again for the Children's Court to decide whether it would accept jurisdiction and deal with the case.

In an outline of the allegations, Garda Thomas Tighe told Judge Clare Leonard that he had responded to a report about a “suspicious person” in a laneway. He said he found the teen who “attempted to hide himself.”

He alleged that the boy was wearing “latex gloves” and under his top had a towel and a plastic refuse bag.

Garda Tighe said that a search was carried out of the area and the sawn-off shotgun was found in a bag.

Judge Leonard refused jurisdiction which means the case will be transferred to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, which has wider sentencing powers.

She acceded to a defence request to relax the boy's bail condition so he would have to sign on four times a week at his local garda station instead of daily.

The boy, who was accompanied to his case by his mother, was remanded to appear again at the Children's Court on a date in March when he is to be served with a book of evidence.