Teenager accused of mugging pregnant woman avoids jail because of overcrowding
A teenage boy, who is accused of violently mugging a heavily pregnant woman in Dublin, was allowed stay out on bail today because of a shortage in detention spaces and a judge had no choice but to release him.
The woman was seven months pregnant, and near her home at Collins Park in north Dublin, when the alleged robbery took place, on January 21 last.
The boy, aged 16 and another youth, were later charged with robbery at the Dublin Children's Court.
They had been granted bail with conditions including a curfew and the boy had also been banned from Dublin city centre.
However, Judge John O'Connor heard today that the boy, who has yet to say how he will plead to the robbery charge, repeatedly broke the bail terms in the past week. His lawyer pointed out that he kept breaking the terms because after the first couple of breaches he expected that he would be held in custody.
There was a garda application to have his bail revoked and for him to be remanded in custody.
However, Judge O'Connor said he could not make that order because there was nowhere to hold the boy.
The teenager, who was accompanied to his hearing by his father, was remanded on continuing bail.
The court has already heard that it is alleged the woman had been approached from behind while she was talking on her mobile phone. Garda James Nugent had said she was “knocked to the ground and a struggle ensued” and there was an attempt to take her handbag before her phone was taken.
She suffered “soreness to her back and grazing on her hands and face”, the court has heard.
The issue of the lack of detention spaces for boys aged under 17 has cropped up repeatedly in the Dublin Children's Court in recent months. Judge Ann Ryan, who presides regularly at the juvenile court, has demanded immediate action from Frances Fitzgerald, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.
An official from her department has told the court that there are 36 operational beds to hold boys aged under 17 at two facilities in north Dublin – Oberstown Boys Centre and Trinity House detention school – which are capacity-filled most days.
However, eight beds are not being used due to “staffing issues” resulting from the implementation of a new roster.
