Dublin teen admits attack on neighbourhood watch man

A Dublin teenager has pleaded guilty to attacking a man who was beaten up on his way to a neighbourhood watch meeting.

The boy (15) was charged with assault causing harm in connection with the incident in Tyrrelstown in Dublin on a date in August last year. The defendant, who cannot be named because he is a minor, was aged 14 at the time.

He appeared at the Dublin Children’s Court on Wednesday when bail was revoked as a result of breaching conditions set down by the judge at an earlier stage.

Judge John O’Connor remanded him in custody to appear again next week. The teenager, who was accompanied to court by his parents and his solicitor, pleaded guilty to the charge.

In an outline of the evidence, garda Rosanna Caul had told the court earlier that it was alleged the man had been on the way to a neighbourhood watch meeting when he spoke to a group of youths.

It was alleged he was followed and that the the boy “punched him nine or 10 times from behind”.

The man was struck to the head and also suffered an open wound over his right eye, the court was told. A medical report was furnished to the court.

Judge O’Connor heard that gardaí also had CCTV evidence. The teenager also has another less serious charge for a shoplifting offence.