Laois schoolboy (15) sentenced to six months’ detention following litany of convictions

IN THREE YEARS of presiding over Portlaoise District Court, Judge Andrew Cody has sentenced just one boy to custody in Oberstown Children’s Detention Centre.

That changed last week when he imposed a six-month custodial sentence on a 15-year-old boy, who cannot be identified because of his age.

It was previously claimed that the youth livestreamed, uploaded and shared TikTok clips of a garda chase hitting speeds of up to 200kph where he was the front seat passenger and the car was driven the wrong way on the motorway.

Two weeks ago, he and another juvenile were remanded in custody for a week. However, they were brought back to court because no beds were available in Oberstown. They were told by Judge Cody that they would be remanded in Oberstown should a bed become available.

When the case resumed last Thursday, Judge Cody was informed that a bed had become available in Oberstown and that the boy had been incarcerated for two nights.

Sergeant JJ Kirby said there were two new charges before the court.

He said that at 10pm on 10 April, the youth entered the Campus filling station on the Carlow Road in Abbeyleix and got petrol to the value of €53.37. CCTV footage identified the driver as being the boy in a stolen vehicle.

Defending barrister Andrew Dunne said that his client was pleading guilty to all charges.

The barrister handed in a letter from the boy addressed to Judge Cody.

Reading from it, Judge Cody said the boy wrote: ‘I was sent to Oberstown and I have got the fright of my whole life. I thought I would never be sent there. But I was wrong. I’m so sorry towards the people that got their cars robbed. You probably won’t give me one last chance.

‘I’m begging you please to give me one last chance. You can give me whatever bail conditions you want. I promise I’ll go by them. You will never hear about me robbing cars again. I’m not just saying it.

‘I’ve never been so scared in my whole life. I don’t care if you give me a curfew at 2pm in the day. I promise you I would go home for that. I won’t be with them (co-accused) anymore.

‘All I want to do judge is to go home to my family. I realise I am just a child and not the big man I thought I was. I was stupid and it will never happen again. I’m so sorry. Give me one last chance.’ Mr Dunne handed in a number of character references for his client and said: “He’s terribly upset and frightened.” “But I have a duty to the public. There were men, women and children on the M7 and he was in a car being driven in the wrong direction,” said Judge Cody.

Mr Dunne said that the family of the boy “are also suffering from online abuse. There are comments going around on various posts. Not only are they suffering at home as a family, they are now having to suffer publicly.” Judge Cody said there is no blame being put on the family for any of the incidents their son has caused.

Sgt Kirby said he had great time for the boy’s parents and his grandfather. “They are perfectly decent, honest people. But I’ve listened to the litany of crime. My fear is that some person driving home and running into him,” he said.

Judge Cody said: “In three years I have sent just one juvenile to Oberstown before. And I do so very, very reluctantly.” He then read though the long list of offences dating from 15 December 2023, when the boy damaged a car by crashing it into a barrier at Portlaoise hospital and the same offence in January 2024, as well as numerous offences of taking cars and damaging them in Newbridge, Portarlington and Portlaoise, offences of deception, theft of a wallet on the grounds of Portlaoise Church, making off without paying for petrol and being carried in a stolen car.

Judge Cody said: “The boy was first before this court and pleaded guilty to a number of offences on 24 October 2024. Since that date, this court and his parents have done everything that we can to try to get him to amend his ways and not to continue to offend in the manner in which he has. Unfortunately, we have been unsuccessful in this regard and it is clear that he has continued to commit very serious crimes and expose others to danger, and for this reason bail was revoked two days ago.” He said the list of offences shows an extremely serious crime spree between mid-December 2023 and the end of February 2025.

He said: “I am satisfied that his parents are good and decent people and have done their utmost to get him to change his ways, but they have been unable to do so.

“Children should be allowed to reside in their own homes and any punishment should take the form most likely to maintain and promote the development of the child. The appropriate sentence for him in this case is that the court considers his age, his lack of previous offending and his level of maturity.

“I also take into account the fact that he was associating with a negative peer group, but it has to be said that he was central to that peer group and was not being led by them.” The judge said: “He has expressed little or no remorse for the effects of his crimes and clearly has limited insight into the effects of these crimes.

“I am satisfied that in making an order imposing a period of detention, that detention is the only suitable way of dealing with him. I am satisfied that a place in Oberstown is available for him and that a school is available for him there. Detention is the last resort, but I am satisfied this court and his parents have exhausted all other possibilities.” Judge Cody continued: “Undoubtedly he will come into contact with many negative influences in Oberstown, which may well facilitate and pave the way for him to associate with them in adulthood and could lead him into a life of crime. I hope, however, he will learn his lesson and not associate with those who are on that path towards serious crime in adulthood, but to associate with those who are genuinely interested in education and rehabilitation.

“It must be made clear to others that the type of offending involved here will not be tolerated by society and will be met with sentences like that which I propose to impose.” He went on to make an order to detain the boy in Oberstown Children’s Detention Centre for six months for damaging a car in Newbridge. He also imposed a one-month sentence, to run concurrently, for the unauthorised taking of another car and disqualified him from driving for five years.

He said all of the remaining charges, with the exception of the two new charges, are taken into consideration.

“On the two new charges, he went on to remanded the boy on his own bond to 11 December for sentencing.” Turning to the boy, Judge Cody said: “I can tell you now, it’ll be nine months in prison. It’ll be your choice or not.

“Hopefully you will get remission of 25% of the six-month sentence that I have imposed and you should be released around the 1st of September, so I’m giving you September, October and November to prove yourself. It is up to you.”