Teen charged with playground machete attack
A 16-year-old boy, who denies attacking four youths at a playground with a machete, was served with a book of evidence today and returned for trial to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The boy is accused of assault and using the machete like blade as a weapon, during the alleged incident, in Rush, in north Co Dublin, in June last year.
The teen, who is on bail, was served with the book of evidence at the Children’s Court today and Judge Elizabeth MacGrath made an order sending the case forward for trial to the Circuit Court.
Earlier it had been held that the case was too serious to be retained in the Children’s Court which has lesser sentencing powers.
In an outline of the prosecution evidence, Garda Karl McManus had said it was alleged that the teen and a 17-year-old boy had attacked the group of youths aged 19 and 20 years.
“The accused attacked four people and assaulted them one by one with a machete causing minor injuries,” he had said adding that the youths were known to the defendant.
The incident allegedly happened at a playground in the housing estate in which the 16-year-old resides, the court had also heard.
The Garda had also said that he was not aware of any “background history” between the teen, his co-defendant and the group of youths.
The Children’s Court had also heard that the teenager was denying the allegations.
The 17-year-old co-defendant, who is accused of one assault and using an iron bar during the attack was also returned for trial over the alleged incident.
