Youth detained after attempted robbery of garda

A youth has been detained for four months after he pretended a mobile phone was a gun and put it to the head of a Garda detective.

The boy (aged 17), who had 28 prior criminal convictions, pleaded guilty at the Children's Court to attempted robbery of the garda, at Dolphin's Barn, in Dublin, on the morning of April 4 last.

Last month he had been given bail and a last chance to prove he would accept help from the Probation and Welfare Service, attend a training course and addiction counselling.

Today Judge John O'Neill said the that boy had not engaged with the services made available to help him.

The teen, had “dragged his father to court day after day” and had shown “disdain and contempt” for both the court and the Probation and Welfare Service, the judge said in sentencing.

Gda-Sergeant Brendan O'Halloran had told Judge O'Neill that an off-duty detective had been travelling on a motorcycle and had stopped in traffic when he was approached by the teenager.

“The accused came up and put what we now know to be a mobile phone to the side of the garda's helmet and threatened him that he had a hand-gun and asked him to hand over money,” said Gda-Sgt O'Halloran.

“He noticed it was not a hand-gun but a mobile phone and identified himself and called for assistance,” the court heard.

Gda-Sgt O'Halloran had agreed with defence solicitor Maura Kiely that the boy had been intoxicated at the time and “could not remember the incident”.

After his arrest, the boy enquired about the officer's welfare and a doctor had to be called to treat the drunk teen.

The teenager had also admitted public order offences and theft of alcohol from a shop, which occurred on separate dates.

Ms Kiely said her client's problems stemmed from cocaine and alcohol abuse. The boy began abusing drink when he was aged 14 after he had been diagnosed with having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

She said his intention to accept help was genuine but he found it difficult to remain motivated.

In June, he was given a chance by the judge after spending the previous two-and-a-half weeks in custody on remand. He had also written a letter to the court in which he said he would deal with his problems and pledged a “turn about”.

At that point, negative probation reports on him had already been furnished to the court.