Boys remanded on damage charges

Two 13 year old boys appeared at Arklow District Court yesterday charged with causing £15,000 worth of damage to Newtown House…

Two 13 year old boys appeared at Arklow District Court yesterday charged with causing £15,000 worth of damage to Newtown House (formerly Trudder House), a secure home for disturbed children in Co Wicklow. Insp John Cassels said the boys had been placed in Newtown House by order of the High Court.

The boys asked to be represented by Dublin solicitors and offered the court the names of three, but they admitted to Judge Donnacha O Buachalla that they had never met those solicitors nor had they been in a court before.

The judge expressed concern that neither of the boys had parents or family in court.

They were remanded in custody to appear in Rathdrum District Court on Thursday. The court was told one would be placed in Oberstown House, Lusk, and the other in St Michael's, Finglas.