Teens face trial for Snapchat-planned violent hi-jacking of social worker

The pair dragged the woman from her car, punched her in the face and threw her on to the road

The teenage boys are aged 16 and 17, but the judge ruled the case was too serious to be dealt with in the Children’s Court.

Two teenage boys have been sent forward for trial to the Circuit Court in Dublin accused of carrying out a violent car-jacking of a social worker allegedly planned over Snapchat.

The pair, aged 16 and 17, who are in care, appeared at Dublin Children’s Court where they were served with books of evidence.

Judge Treasa Kelly made a return for trial order and told them they were being sent forward to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. It has tougher sentencing powers.

The boys, who are on bail, will face their next hearing there in February.

They are charged with a robbery on February 9 last, but Judge Kelly ruled the case was too serious to be dealt with in the Children’s Court.

In an outline of the allegations, Garda Aidan Maher of Blackrock Garda Station told Judge Kelly it was alleged the younger boy was driven to Dublin from his care home in the midlands by the social worker.

The youths had agreed to meet but planned to hi-jack her at a location that did not have CCTV cover, near the older boy’s accommodation in Dublin.

The two had been in communication with each other through the Snapchat messaging app.

Garda Maher alleged they jointly planned to set on the woman.

The younger boy directed her to the location after he received a pin-drop location from the phone of his alleged accomplice.

Struggle ensued

When she parked, the older boy opened the driver’s door and tried to drag her out. A struggle ensued and he asked his co-defendant, who was in the front passenger seat, to help.

The social worker held her seat belt and the door frame, suffering cuts to her hands as she was forced from the car.

The court heard she was punched in the face and thrown onto the road resulting in injuries to her shoulder, hip and a leg.

Garda Maher said the car was driven off and the boys planned to collect another friend in a care home in Co Wexford.

Judge Kelly was told the older boy sent a message to the friend in Wexford, “making light of the situation”. However, staff at that care home were notified of the stolen car on the way.

When it arrived there, the pair were “spooked” and drove from the area.

€7,000 worth of damage

They proceeded to Carlow town and crashed causing €7,000 worth of damage. They had driven for 135km after the hi-jacking and the phones were recovered, the judge was told.

The defence pleaded with the Children’s Court to accept jurisdiction by taking into account their ages, their backgrounds in care, difficulties in childhood, as well as documented behavioural and educational issues.

Counsel told the judge the pair were willing to plead guilty if the case stayed in the juvenile court, but the judge refused jurisdiction.

The State urged her to note the level or preparation and orchestration of the incident and how they had scant regard for the woman, whose job was to help them.

The boys, who cannot be named because they are minors, were accompanied to the proceedings by social care workers and a court-appointed guardian.