Laois teenager must abide by bail conditions or face detention

A 14-YEAR-OLD boy was back before the children’s court in Portlaoise on Thursday following his appearance the previous week.

The youth, who cannot be named because of his age, had previously been charged with three counts of unauthorised taking of vehicles from Portlaoise hospital, Kilminchy and Stradbally Road in Portlaoise on January, February and March of last year; with criminal damage at Priory Court, Kildare on 25 February last year and with public order offences in Castletown on 20 June last year.

At the previous sitting he was remanded on his own bail by Judge Andrew Cody for allegedly breaching bail conditions. At that sitting, the judge instructed the young man’s father to keep a detailed written log of his son’s activities for the week and if that didn’t happen and the boy breached any further bail conditions he would be placed in custody.

When the case resumed last week, the boy’s barrister Andrew Dunne said that a detailed log had been kept on his client.

Asked by Judge Cody had there been any further breaches, Sergeant JJ Kirby said: “The only breach was when gardaí called to his house at 9pm last night (Wednesday 14 May). He allegedly wasn’t at home.

Mr Dunne said that when gardaí called back to the house later that night, his client was at home.

“His curfew is 7pm,” said Judge Andrews, “why was he out for three hours?” The boy’s father said: “I rang him when the gardaí first called to the house and he came back.” Judge Cody said: “There’s a gang causing havoc in this town and elsewhere. One of his pals is in Oberstown (Children’s Detention Centre) and another is on his way there.” He adjourned the case against the boy to 26 June and told him: “We will see what happens on that day. If he wants a Fanta from a shop, let him send somebody else out for it.”