'I have nothing to say about it', Cork boy, 15, accused of stabbing group of teenagers tells court

Accused bit his nails and clasped his hands behind his head during court appearance by video link

Accused pleaded guilty to engaging in violent disorder, assault causing harm to a young man, assaulting a young woman and production of a knife. Picture: Larry Cummins 

A 15-year-old boy from Cork who only stopped stabbing a young man when a car arrived on the scene appeared on video link for sentencing on Tuesday. The teenager sat with his hands clasped behind his head as the judge and even his own lawyer said it was clear from his appearance he had no insight into his actions.

The youth appeared at Cork Circuit Criminal Court by video link from Oberstown detention centre, variously biting his nails and looking at his fingers, fiddling with the sleeves of his tee-shirt and sitting back with his hands behind his head.

Judge Sinead Behan said it was such a serious stabbing attack that only ended with the arrival of a car on the scene of the incident in Glanmire, Cork, on January 7 last.

He was sentenced to one year in detention and will have another year suspended on his release from detention on condition he complies with all directions on him by the Probation Service under a supervision order.

He pleaded guilty to engaging in violent disorder, assault causing harm to a young man, assaulting a young woman, and production of a knife during the incident.

Detective Garda Craig Peterson said the 15-year-old, who recently turned 16, was the main aggressor among a group of youths who set upon the entirely innocent group of teenagers.

Det Garda Peterson said on January 7, at Applegreen service station, Brooklodge, Glanmire, the first alleged incident occurred where the 15-year-old defendant repeatedly stabbed an 18-year-old man and a 16-year-old girl.

The detective said injured parties who went to the premises to buy biscuits were followed by a group of youths and attacked on their way home. The 18-year-old received two lacerations on his upper left arm/shoulder, one of which was quite deep. He also received a laceration on his left leg. 

His 16-year-old girlfriend received a laceration to a finger on her right hand which bled profusely.

The victim of the assault said he no longer felt safe and was constantly on high alert. He suffers from nightmares and flashbacks and the terrible thought of what might have happened if the car had not arrived on the scene when it did.

The victim feels people judge him on the basis of the injuries he has from the stabbings.

Defence barrister Donal O’Sullivan said of his client, the 16-year-old accused: “A switch has gone somewhere and we are where we are. His father was attempting to get him assistance from Camhs [mental health service] for 18 months before this happened.

“You can see from his presentation right now [on video link] there is a severe lack of maturity. He does not have much of an understanding of where he is and where he is going.” 

Judge Behan agreed, and noted with concern that since his detention in Oberstown from March, he has twice tested positive for cannabis.

Judge Behan addressed the accused directly and asked him what he had to say about what he had done. He replied: “Nothing really to say about it, to be honest.” 

The judge said: “You stabbed somebody. What do you think about it?” 

Again he replied: “I have nothing to say about it, to be honest.”