Teen charged with murder of Dublin man to have mental health assessment

A teenager has been remanded in custody with a recommendation he receive a mental health assessment after he was charged with murder of a young man who was stabbed to death near his home in Dublin.

Father-to-be Glen Osborne, 20, from Taafe Place, Ballybough, Dublin 3, was stabbed in the upper body in a car park outside Ballybough House just before 10pm on Wednesday.

Paramedics treated him at the scene before he was rushed to the Mater Hospital where he died a short time later.

A 16-year-old boy from Dublin’s north inner city, who cannot be named because he is a minor, appeared before a special late sitting of the Dublin Children’s Court on Friday accompanied by his mother, who was visibly upset.

His grandparents and an aunt were given permission by Judge Brendan Toale to sit in during the proceedings which the general public are not allowed to attend.

His mother sat closest to the boy, who was silent throughout the hearing. Due to Covid-19 the courtroom has been partitioned with a glass barrier.

Detective Sergeant Kenneth Hoare told the judge the teenager was arrested at 4.38pm, following directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

“In response to the charge after caution, he had no response, made no reply at all,” Detective Sergeant Hoare said.

The judge said given the nature of the charge and the boy’s age he was satisfied to grant legal aid.

The Children’s Court does not have jurisdiction to consider a bail application in a murder case.

Defence solicitor Brian Keenan indicated consent to a remand in custody for one week.

He also said he wished to flag to the court that he had “very significant concerns” for the boy’s mental health. He sought a recommendation from the court to the director of the Oberstown juvenile detention centre for a multi-disciplinary assessment of the boy in custody.

The judge said he had no difficulty in recommending the mental health assessment.

The boy was remanded in custody to appear again on April 24th. At the end of the hearing the teen spoke briefly to his distraught family, who hugged and kissed him, before he was escorted from the courtroom to await transfer to the Oberstown detention centre.

He has not yet indicated how he will plead.