Judge refuses teenager bail in connection with OAP assault
A judge has refused to grant bail to a teenage boy accused of assaulting a 67-year-old man who sustained serious facial injuries during an attack in Dublin last month.
The boy, aged 16, has been charged at the Dublin Children's Court with assault causing harm to the man, in Ballymun, on December 20 last. He also faces additional charges for possessing a hatchet as a weapon, breach of the peace and obstruction of a garda, on the previous date and theft of bottles of beer from a shop on December 9 last.
He had been remanded in custody last month and made a bail application today however Judge Brian Sheridan also heard that there was a garda objection to the teen being released.
In an outline of the alleged facts Judge Sheridan heard that the man had been coming home from a night out and “was seriously assaulted by a number of males”.
The court heard that his nose, cheek bone and some of his teeth were broken and that he is still receiving medical attention for his injuries.
Judge Sheridan was also told that when arrested the teen “had blood on his clothes and footwear believed to be that of the injured party”.
Defence solicitor John Quinn submitted that his client intended to go to a residential centre for troubled youths if granted bail.
He said that this would give the teen educational assistance but he would have to be given bail to attend a meeting to decide if he would be accepted into the facility.
Mr Quinn also said the boy's parents, who were in court, were anxious for him to be given this opportunity.
He also asked the court to note that the youth had spent Christmas in custody and was still presumed innocent.
However, Judge Sheridan refused bail and remanded the boy in custody for a further two weeks.
Directions from the DPP are being sought as to whether the case should stay in the jurisdiction of the Children's Court or instead be sent forward to the Circuit Court, which has lengthier sentencing powers.
