Schoolboys mugged teenagers for mobiles
Two schoolboys, who mugged a pair of teenagers because they were jealous of their mobile phones, have been remanded on bail pending sentence and have been ordered to write letters of apology to their victims.
One of the young victims was threatened that he would be thrown “head first” into the Liffey if he did not hand over his phone.
The defendants (aged 14 and 15) pleaded guilty at the Dublin Children’s Court to robbery of the boys which happened at the Lucan weir, on the Liffey, in Dublin, on June 23 last year.
Prosecuting Garda Deirdre Hoey, of Lucan station, told Judge Bryan Smyth, that the pair and a third youth, who was not before the court, approached the teenage victims who were threatened and had their mobile phones taken.
The 14-year-old boy told one of the victims: “If you are hiding anything I will break your jaw and throw you in the river head first.”
They were also threatened by the pair that “if you try to contact any one we are going to hurt you".
Garda Hoey said the stolen phones were recovered and though the teens were co-operative they did not make any admissions after their arrest.
The teens’ counsel said that neither had been in trouble before. “On the night in question they were finished school and saw the other children with phones and became jealous,” counsel said.
In pleas for leniency the court heard that the pair, who were accompanied to court by their families, were apologetic, did not have any alcohol or drug problems and they were aware that their behaviour was “out of order".
Judge Smyth remanded the duo on bail to appear again in July for sentencing.
A probation report was requested and he also ordered them write letters of apology which are to be handed over to the victims.
