Boy, 17, charged with burglary at pensioner's Kildare home 

Boy was charged at Dublin Children's Court with burglary of the man's cottage in Ardrass Lower during the theft of a ‘08-reg Husaberg motorcycle. Picture: Billy Higgins

A 17-year-old boy has been denied bail after gardaí charged him with  burglary at a pensioner's home in Co Kildare.

The 72-year-old man is in hospital after being attacked near his home in Ardrass Lower, Celbridge, at about 9.30pm on Tuesday.

He was brought to Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown, where his condition is described as serious but stable. A number of suspects left the scene on foot — one was on a scrambler bike, stolen from the property.

In a follow-up search, gardaí arrested a 17-year-old boy at 2.55am on Wednesday and took him to Leixlip Garda Station, where he was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

The boy, who is from Dublin but cannot be named because of his age, was brought to appear before Judge Paul Kelly at the Dublin Children’s Court on Thursday afternoon.

He was charged with burglary of the man's cottage in Ardrass Lower during the theft of a 2008-reg Husaberg motorcycle.

He was also charged with trespassing at another house at Ardrass Road, Celbridge, in a manner that would cause fear and stealing a bicycle from that property in the early hours of Wednesday.

He was also accused of 11 other offences connected with a range of incidents going back to July 2020.

Garda Aoife Leacy told the court the boy “made no reply” when charged in the presence of his mother.

Objection to bail

She opposed bail due to the seriousness of the case and provided the judge with a document listing her objections, which she did not read out.

She agreed with Judge Kelly that one of the parties was allegedly armed with bolt cutters.

Defence solicitor Eoghan O’Sullivan said the teenager resided with his mother, had a stable home and was welcome to live there.

However, the garda said she did not feel that would be a deterrent for him. During the exchange with the solicitor, she acknowledged he enjoyed the presumption of innocence.

The court heard that strength of evidence was one of the grounds for the objection to bail.

The garda accepted the solicitor's point that the evidence would be tested later in the Children's Court or a higher court.

The court heard the boy was arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary, and gardaí needed to obtain directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions, which could take several months.

Forensic test results were awaited, the court heard. But, Garda Leacy said: "These will be treated as a priority because of the seriousness of the offence".

It was alleged that in an interview, the boy made admissions to being involved in an aggravated burglary. However, the defence solicitor said the boy's case was that those admissions were "made up by gardaí".

Garda Leacy alleged the teen was arrested 1km from the burglary on a bicycle stolen from a neighbour's house.

She agreed she did not fear witness intimidation or that the boy would not turn up to court if granted bail.

The teenager, accompanied to court by his mother, remained silent throughout the contested bail hearing.

His solicitor suggested to the officer that the court could impose strict bail terms, including an independent surety and an order to stay out of Kildare. However, the garda said she could not agree to that.

Judge Kelly refused bail and remanded the boy in custody to Oberstown Detention Centre to appear again next Wednesday.

His other charges included: obstructing a garda in the execution of his duty at the teen's home; unlawfully driving a stolen motor vehicle without a licence or insurance; theft of three electric bicycles; stealing €73 worth of fuel from an M50 service station; motor theft; and criminal damage in Dublin from December to February 4.

There was also a single charge for an alleged trespass at a property in Dublin in July 2020.