Boy with 47 convictions asks to be locked up
A 16-year-old boy has been remanded in custody at his own request on his 47th conviction.
The north inner city Dublin boy pleaded guilty the Children’s Court to theft of a motorbike, at Bella Street, Dublin, on March 27; possessing a knife as a weapon, attempted car theft, and criminal damage, at Buckingham Street, Dublin, on April 16 last.
He also admitted interfering with a vehicle on Dublin’s Talbot Street, on May 13 last and criminal damage to three items of clothing in a shop in Mary’s Street, on April 29 last.
Judge Conal Gibbons heard that until today the boy, who was accompanied to court by his mother, had 41 prior convictions, mostly for vehicle theft and related motoring offences.
The court heard that during one of the incidents a garda had approached a car he was hot-wiring and opened the driver’s door. “At this stage the car was in reverse and crashed into a Bord Gáis van,” said Garda Fergal Flynn.
Defence solicitor Sarah Molloy said that the teenager suffered from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). He completed the Junior Certificate in custody and afterwards was given a place in a residential unit for troubled youths, in Co. Cavan, “but that did not work out,” she said.
“He accepts his behaviour has worsened and wanted the court today to revoke his bail or to sentence him,” she said.
Ms Molloy said the boy’s mother was extremely concerned that he, like another of her sons, would become addicted to heroin while held in St Patrick’s Institution.
Judge Gibbons said he had no control over what happened in St Patrick’s Institution which he said had made massive improvements in recent years but he added that this was despite its structure being unsuitable as a juvenile detention centre.
Ms Molloy said St Patrick’s Institution had been criticised by UN and EU reports some dating back as far as 1985.
Judge Gibbons said “This young man needs to be taken out of civil society.” He went on to say that this would be for “a short time, for his own good”.
He added that he could not proceed with sentencing without having ordered a welfare report. He remanded the teenager in custody to appear again in two weeks.
