Judge 'embarrassed' by lack of detention spaces as youth who ransacked home of man in 80's given bail

By Tom Tuite

A judge has described as an “embarrassment” the lack of spaces in a juvenile detention centre as he was forced to grant two youths bail including one accused of a ransacking the home of a man in his eighties.

An engagement ring belonging to the pensioner’s deceased wife was allegedly stolen during the incident.

Judge John O’Connor’s comment came following two bail hearings at the Dublin Children’s Court today.

In one case, the seriousness of the allegations was cited by gardai in their objection to the 17-year-old boy getting bail.

He was accused of burglary at an elderly man’s home on April 6 on the Stillorgan Road in south Dublin. It was alleged that €1,300 cash was taken along with jewellery including an engagement ring which had belonged to the man’s late wife.

The elderly man was not present at the time but arrived when raiders were leaving. Gardai at Blackrock station were alerted.

A second juvenile was refused bail earlier this week and remanded in custody in connection with the incident.

However, in the boy’s case today the court indicated that bail was also being refused.

However, Judge O’Connor could not proceed with making that order after learning there were no places available in the Oberstown detention centre, a problem frequently faced by the Dublin Children's Court.

The youth, who was accompanied to court by family members and his barrister, was released on bail with conditions compelling him to sign on twice daily at his local garda station, to obey a curfew and to remain out of several districts in south Dublin.

The boy, who has not yet indicated how he will plead, was ordered to appear again later this week.

The same issue arose in a different case at the same court today involving a 16-year-old boy facing a total of 28 charges including allegations of driving offences and burglary.

He had skipped court earlier and was in England when he was due to face the court. A bench warrant was issued and when it was executed today gardai successfully objected to bail.

However, the court was also forced to release that teenager due to the shortage of detention spaces available at the Oberstown detention campus. The boy, who was accompanied to court by his mother, was remanded on bail to appear again later this month.

Neither of youths can be named because they are minors.