Mother fined for son's crimes
A mother has been fined €100 over her troubled 14-year-old son’s crimes.
Judge Thomas Fitzpatrick had heard at the Dublin Children’s Court that the 14-year-old had pleaded guilty to stealing a mobile phone and breaking into a car on Malahide Road, in Coolock, in July.
Sergeant Pat McMenamin, Santry Station, told Judge Fitzpatrick that a man had parked his car on the Malahide Road to go to the shops. The boy had broken into the car by smashing a window, which caused €450 worth of damages, and then stole a mobile phone valued €190.
Defence solicitor Ms Sarah Molloy told Judge Fitzpatrick that the boy comes from a broken home.
He also has learning difficulties and as a result had been out of school for the past 15 months. A recent family bereavement had also affected him badly.
Efforts are currently underway to get the boy back into school, she said.
A meeting with the National Education and Welfare Board is planned and it is hoped an assessment of the boy will be carried out which will allow him to be returned to the education system.
Returning to school would help "get him back on track", the court was told.
Said Judge Fitzpatrick: "The unfortunate thing is that this is all too common, with young people from 10 upwards.
"Youngsters are running wild in the community, creating havoc - theft, criminal damage, assaults, breaches of the peace - with the result that people are in fear for their safety. One has to look at the common good."
In reply, Ms Molloy said that in this case the common good would be addressed if an appropriate educational placement were found for the boy. She pleaded with the court to allow the boy a chance to prove this to the court.
Judge Fitzpatrick said that the victims of crimes have to be considered and as a deterrent for other young people, the message should go out from the courts that young people cannot behave in this way.
"The courts appear to be lenient to people who commit crimes and young people take advantage of that situation," he said.
Judge Fitzpatrick said that in view of the teenager’s age, he would not impose a custodial sanction. He ordered the teenager to enter into a probation bond for two years and further imposed a fine of €100 payable by the boy’s mother within 56 days, with 15 days jail in default of payment.
Finalising the case, Judge Fitzpatrick told the teenager to co-operate with the Probation and Welfare Services.
The teenager was also warned that if he committed any further offences within the next two years he could be detained.
