A teenager accused of ramming a patrol vehicle with two gardai in Ballyfermot had bail revoked and was held in custody today after "goading" detectives on a fast electric motorbike.
Dublin Children's Court heard claims the teen recently followed detectives to get a chase and nearly ran over a child doing a "wheelie".
Judge Michele Finan accepted he had breached a road ban, which was one of his bail terms, and remanded him to the Oberstown Children Detention Campus.
The boy, 16, is awaiting trial over an incident at Cherry Orchard Avenue in Ballyfermot, on September 19, 2022. Clips of the scenes went viral on social media last year.
A stolen silver Toyota Aqua collided head-on twice with the garda car, which was also "side-swiped" once by another Toyota Aqua, allegedly driven by the boy.
He had been given bail with several strict conditions conditions. A preliminary hearing was scheduled in September to consider if his case should remain in the Children's Court or go to the Circuit Court, which has broader sentencing powers.
Charges
The schoolboy is charged with unlawful use of a stolen car at Cedarbrook Avenue, dangerous driving in a manner including speed at Cherry Orchard Avenue, criminal damage to a Garda car and endangering the lives of the two officers.
Psychological assessments had commenced at the behest of the defence in preparation for the trial venue decision.
Detective Garda Chris Jones obtained an arrest warrant to bring the boy back before the court today to apply for bail revocation.
In evidence, he said the teen had broken a 10 pm – 8am curfew and an order not to use any motor vehicle.
He alleged that on a date in July, the teenager was on an electric motorbike capable of up to 80km/h, which followed a garda vehicle for 10 to 15 minutes in south Dublin.
Detective Jones said he took a photo of the boy to "detract him from goading us to chase him".
Curfew
On another date last month, the teenager was found in a house of extended family members several hours beyond his curfew.
Another curfew breach happened when the teen was part of a crowd verbally abusing gardai, but he complied with a caution to leave the vicinity.
The court heard that earlier this week, the teenager was spotted doing an estimated 60 – 70km/h on the same electric motorbike in a crowded area.
Detective Jones said the teen went on footpaths and almost collided with a young child while performing a wheelie.
Defence solicitor Lorraine Stephens told Judge Finan her client accepted that he broke the terms and pleaded for a final chance for the boy, who has no prior convictions and had never been in custody.
She said the teen's assessment needed to be completed, and in future his visibly upset mother would agree to custody if he kept breaking the bail terms.
Ms Stephens also said there is a loophole in the law about electric scooters, often sold to young people as not being considered mechanically propelled vehicles.
The teen's family "clubbed together" to buy the one referred to in the evidence because the boy had been good.
However, his mother, who was present for the hearing with two other relatives, has confiscated it, and it will be sold.
Judge Finan said there had to be 100% compliance with bail terms, and he knew he was "off the road" and had to obey a curfew.
She remanded him in custody to appear again next Friday but a fresh bail application could be brought at a later stage.
Another 16-year-old boy, accused of twice ramming the garda car during the incident, remains on bail and is due back in court in September. He is to be served with a book of evidence and sent forward to the higher court on a not guilty plea.
A 15-year-old boy who admitted to being a passenger in one of the stolen cars is awaiting sentence at the Children's Court; his case resumes later.
