Traveller feud boy remanded
A 15-year-old schoolboy, who has been charged along with his father and uncle over an outbreak of tit-for-tat violence linked to a Traveller family feud in October, was today remanded on continuing bail.
The feud in north Dublin saw retaliatory attacks, homes vandalised, a stabbing and a shooting, the Children’s Court has heard.
Judge Ann Ryan adjourned the case until next week to allow the defence time to prepare legal submissions pleading for the case to be retained in the Children’s Court instead of being sent to the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers.
The DPP has recommended that the prosecution should go forward to the Circuit Court.
The teenager, who was accompanied to court by his father, was remanded on continuing bail to appear again next week.
He had been charged on October 14 last with engaging in violent disorder, possession and production of a knife during a dispute, at Ballymun garda station, which happened on the previous day. He had initially been remanded in custody by the Children’s Court but was later granted High Court.
“They were armed with metal poles, knives, hatchets and slash-hooks and attacked the group outside the station,” Garda Sergeant Oliver Henry had said during an earlier bail hearing.
The court had heard earlier in the case that the boy’s caravan home was wrecked during the troubles between the feuding families and his mother was currently ill in hospital.
At a previous bail hearing a Garda had objected to bail in light of the seriousness of the allegations and a belief that “there will be retaliations; all of this has been tit-for-tat retaliation”.
The court had been told the feud dated back to the year 2000 but had mostly calmed down. However, it resumed on October 9 last leading to a number of homes being vandalised, a man stabbed and firearms being used in incidents currently under investigation.
Both the teenager’s father, who is in his 40s, and his uncle, also in his 40s, have been charged with violent disorder, possessing a knife, assault and criminal damage in connection with the feud.
