Youth charged over Queen visit riots

A youth has been charged with having bricks and stones as weapons when rioting broke out in Dublin city centre during the Queen's visit in May.

Protesters and rioters clashed with gardaí during the state visit when the Queen was about to visit the Garden of Remembrance.

Today the 17-year-old boy made his first court appearance on charges connected to the violence.

Det Garda Michael Quinn told Judge Patrick Clyne at the Dublin Children's Court that the teenager, who cannot be identified because he is a minor, made “no reply” when three charges were brought against him.

The teenager is accused of engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour likely to cause a breach of the peace, at Dorset Street, in the city centre, on May 17 last. He is also accused of failing to leave the scene when cautioned.

The third charge is under offensive weapons legislation for throwing bricks and stones at gardai on the same date.

Direction from the DPP are required in relation to whether the boy should be tried in the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers.

Defence solicitor Gareth Noble told Judge Clyne that the prosecution case involved “extensive CCTV footage” however, he was not seeking an order for disclosure of evidence at this stage.

Legal aid was granted to the teenager, who was accompanied to his case by his father, and he was remanded on bail to appear again in February.

The judge agreed to impose bail conditions after hearing that the teenager also had separate proceedings before the Children's Court. The boy was ordered to obey a 10pm to 8am curfew and to attend appointments arranged for him with the Probation and Welfare Service and the HSE.

The boy, who remained silent during the hearing, has not yet indicated how he intends to plead to the charges.