A TEENAGE boy caused €850,000 worth of damages when he started a fire at a Gaelscoil in Lucan, Co Dublin, last April, the Children’s Court heard yesterday.
The boy, who is now 14, had been charged in February with causing criminal damage to Gaelscoil Naomh Padraig, a national school off Castle Road, Lucan, and criminal damage to three waste bins on April 20th last year.
He had been remanded on bail to appear again yesterday for a decision on whether the case would stay with the Children’s Court or instead be sent to the Circuit Court, which has greater sentencing powers.
However, defence solicitor Michelle Finan told Judge William Early that her client was consenting to be remanded in custody to a juvenile detention centre which carries out educational and psychological assessments.
Garda Noel Maher told Judge Early that the DPP had recommended that the case should be retained in the Children’s Court.
In an outline of the prosecution’s evidence, Garda Maher said it was alleged that the accused “was playing football in the grounds of the school with a number of friends and lit a wheelie bin that was beside the school”.
“The school caught fire; approximately €850,000 worth of damages were caused.”
He added that he did not believe the boy had intended to set fire to the school.
Ms Finan said her client, who had been given bail earlier on condition that he obeyed a curfew at his address between 10pm and 8am, was opting to be remanded in custody.
She told Judge Early that the boy had not been going to school or abiding by the condition of his bail. “He’s finding it difficult to cope,” she said.
She also said that submissions have to be made under section 75 of the Children Act pleading for the case to be retained in the juvenile court instead of being sent to the Circuit Court.
This part of the legislation sets out grounds where the Children’s Court can retain jurisdiction for a case involving serious allegations by taking into consideration the age and level of maturity of a minor. She said the assessments would assist in preparing the plea.
The judge said he may be disposed to retaining the case at Children’s Court level.
The final decision would be deferred until the assessment has been completed.
The boy was remanded in custody to the National Remand and Assessment Centre in Finglas for four weeks of assessments.