A 16-YEAR-OLD boy who denies attacking four youths with a machete at a playground near his home was served with a book of evidence yesterday and returned for trial to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The boy is accused of assault and using the machete-like blade as a weapon during the incident in Rush, north Co Dublin, during June last year.
The teenager, who is on bail, was served with the book of evidence at the Children’s Court yesterday.
Judge Elizabeth MacGrath made an order sending the case forward for trial to the Circuit Court.
Earlier it had been told that the case was too serious to be retained in the Children’s Court, which has lesser sentencing powers.
In an outline of the prosecution evidence, Garda Karl McManus said it was alleged that the teenager and a 17-year-old boy had attacked the group of youths, who were aged between 19 and 20 years, during the incident in a playground in Rush.
“The accused attacked four people and assaulted them one by one with a machete, causing minor injuries,” he said.
He also indicated that the youths who were attacked were known to the defendant.
The incident allegedly happened at a playground in the housing estate at which the 16-year-old resides, the court was told.
The garda said he was not aware of any “background history” between the teenager, his co-defendant and the group of youths.
The Children’s Court heard that the teenager would be denying the allegations against him.
The 17-year-old co-defendant is accused of one assault, and is also accused of using an iron bar during the attack.
He was also returned for trial over the alleged incident.