Bebo attack teen spared jail

A teenager who attacked and injured a man in revenge for remarks made on the Bebo website, was spared a custodial sentence today.

The 17-year-old boy had claimed he was “hurt” by comments casting doubt on whether he was the father of his child, which were allegedly posted by his victim on the popular social networking website.

The Dublin Children's Court had heard his victim was knocked from a Dart station platform on to train tracks and broke his wrist.

The boy, a father of one, pleaded guilty at the Children's Court to assault causing harm to the man (aged 22), at Killiney Dart station, in south Co. Dublin, on February 6 last year.

The case had been adjourned until today for the teenager to make a €400 donation to a charity.

Judge Clare Leonard noted that the boy had paid the money to the Children in Hospice fund and struck out the charge, leaving him without a criminal record.

Garda Brian Hall had told the court the boy struck the man “which resulted in the injured party falling off the platform of the Dart station on to the tracks, which left him with a broken left wrist.”

The victim climbed back on to the platform and shook hands with the defendant who apologised and said “you should not be giving me such stick.”

Garda Hall had agreed with defence solicitor Gareth Noble that the incident stemmed from the defendant being upset about comments the victim had posted online.

Garda Hall had said there had been “some provocation”previously and had agreed that the row began as a verbal altercation and then “punches were swung on both sides.”

Mr Noble had said his client was the father of a young baby and “the fact that he was the father was being questioned on the Bebo website.”

Mr Noble had also said that the boy, who had no prior conviction, regretted the assault, but the comments on Bebo had “caused great hurt, insult and offence” and could have been accessed by a large number of people.

The court had heard that the teenager was in full time employment, learning a trade, and had no further contact with the victim.