Mother held after shouting at judge

The mother of a juvenile sentenced to six years for a violent burglary screamed at a judge that he had earlier handed down a lighter sentence to a child abuser

Judge Martin Nolan said the 17-year-old was the ringleader behind a raid in which a gang of five teenagers held a knife to a student and threatened to assault and rape his girlfriend.

He said this man, who had 26 previous convictions, had been violent. Six years’ detention was the minimum he could impose.

After the sentence was read out at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, his mother was arrested for contempt after shouting out at the judge.

During scuffles with prison officers her son was also restrained, while the woman shouted: “We will spend the summer together son.”