Youth, 17, sent to Circuit Court for robbery and assault trial
A Dublin youth has been sent forward for trial to the Circuit Court trial accused of a robbing three boys who were allegedly forced to go to a park in Dublin where they were attacked.
The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named because he is a minor, is charged with three counts of robbery and two counts of assault causing harm on the evening of June 27 last.
He appeared before Judge Flann Brennan at the Dublin Children’s Court where he was served with a book of evidence.
Judge Brennan made an order sending him forward for trial to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where he will face his next hearing on April 5 next.
Earlier it had been held the case was too serious to be dealt with in the juvenile court and should be heard in the Circuit Court which has tougher sentencing powers.
Outlining the allegations, Garda Kevin Murphy told the court that three boys, who ages were not stated, had been socialising at Marino Crescent Park in Dublin when the defendant and a group of youths approached.
It was alleged they were threatened they would be stabbed if they didn’t follow the teen and three other youths across the road to Fairview Park.
Garda Murphy alleged when they got to the second location the three boys instructed them to do factory resets on their phones and told them they would be stabbed if they tried to run or call anyone for help.
The court heard they were robbed of their phones at this stage and their were further stab threats.
The court heard the suspects then marched them "under duress" for two kilometres to Clonturk Park in Drumcondra.
Here, Garda Murphy, alleged, two of them were set on by the gang, assaulted and suffered injuries.
Three other youths are also before the courts in connection with the incident.
