A 16-year-old boy set a woman on fire with lighter fluid and then poured a pot of boiling water over her after he stabbed a man from his ankle to the top of his head, during a New Year's Eve burglary, a court heard yesterday.
Judge William Early was told at the Dublin Children's Court that the boy, who had already been charged with assault during the alleged burglary, was facing four more charges.
The new charges put to him yesterday include violent disorder with two others, endangering the lives of two people and burglary with a spade, a two-pronged fork, a knife and a pot of boiling water.
A 17-year-old girl and a boy, aged 14, have also been charged in connection with the same alleged offence, the court heard earlier.
Det Garda Andrew Digan told the court that on the night of New Year's Eve, the boy and two others went into a woman's home in Dolphin's Barn.
The woman had two visitors, a man and another woman, with her at the time, the court heard.
While in the house, the boy and the other teenagers attacked the two visitors, Garda Digan said.
It is alleged that the 16-year-old boy beat the male visitor for an hour with a spade and then stabbed him from the top of his head to his ankle, he said. It is also alleged that the boy poured boiling water over him.
Garda Digan also said that the boy then held the woman visitor against the sitting room wall, where he poured lighter fluid over her and set her on fire. When the fire was put out he then poured boiling water over her, the court heard.
The woman spent 21 days in the St James's Hospital, where the teenager and his 14-year-old co-accused also threatened the alleged male victim not to give evidence, Judge Early was told.
Judge Early refused jurisdiction to hear the case and ruled that the boy should be tried on indictment in the Circuit Criminal Court. The boy was granted strict bail until a date in June pending the preparation and service of a book of evidence.
Last week, the court ruled that the 14-year-old boy and the girl aged 17 should also be sent forward for trial due to the seriousness of the charges against them.