Schoolboy's assault case adjourned amid privacy row
The case against a 15-year-old schoolboy facing an assault charge was adjourned for four weeks at Newtownards Youth Court today.
The boy, who cannot be named, was not in court for the brief hearing during which his solicitor Andrew Russell said his client did not accept the allegations of the case and would be pleading not guilty.
At his request District Judge Mark Hamill adjourned proceedings because of a linked case brought before the High Court in Belfast.
Mr Hamill set a date of December 2 to “hopefully to fix a date” for full proceedings.
Yesterday a barrister representing the teenager claimed in the High Court the North's Public Prosecution Service had breached the privacy of the schoolboy by announcing in advance he was to appear in court to face an assault charge today.
Karen Quinlivan said the boy’s rights to privacy and family life under the Human Convention on Human Rights were at stake.
“The PPS have already interfered with his private life by publishing the fact of his court appearance,” she told High Court judge Mr Justice Hart.
The judge granted her the right to seek a judicial review after ruling the PPS decision arguably interfered with the teenager’s rights.
He said he was satisfied the issue could be resolved by an adjournment to today’s proceedings.
