Teenager who caused DART to be evacuated to be sentenced later
A teenager who was part of a drink fuelled disturbance which caused a DART train to be evacuated has been remanded on bail pending sentence by Judge Bryan Smyth at the Dublin Children’s Court.
The 17-year-old boy pleaded guilty to being intoxicated to such an extent he was a danger to himself and others, and threatening and abusive behaviour, at Dun Laoghaire train station, on the evening of October 28 last.
Judge Smyth was told that six gardaí had to come to prevent a fight breaking out at the station.
The court was told that the teenager had been part of a group of five youths who had been “drinking, smoking, jumping on seats and kicking doors, passengers had to evacuate the train”.
The drunken teenager had to be asked three times to get off the train.
The trouble then spilled out onto the train station platform where the youths confronted security staff at which point a garda had to call for assistance.
Six other officers arrived at which the teens calmed down.
“I believe that a fight would have broken out on the platform if assistance had not arrived,” a garda told Judge Smyth.
Defence solicitor Ms Michelle Finan said the boy, who was accompanied to court by his father, had alcohol taken on the day. She said the teen’s mother has “difficulties, the Probation Services would be able to assist the family with.”
She also said the boy was attending a training course and according to his father had stopped abusing alcohol.
Judge Smyth was told the teenager was already facing a sentence hearing in January for a criminal damage offence, but had no other recorded convictions.
He said that it was a “serious public order incident” for which the boy was at risk of receiving a custodial sentence.
He adjourned sentencing and remanded the boy on bail until January for the charges to be joined up with the boy’s sentence hearing for the criminal damage offence.
