Teens remanded to face separate charges

Two teenage boys already charged for their alleged connection with an incident in which a taxi driver (30) died have been further…

Two teenage boys already charged for their alleged connection with an incident in which a taxi driver (30) died have been further remanded in custody after a judge heard they were facing new charges for burglary and criminal damage offences.

Robert "Bob" McGowan from Galtymore Road, Drimnagh, died early on Saturday morning, January 11th, after his car was allegedly hit by car thieves driving at high speed.

Judge Anne Watkin heard at the Dublin Children's Court this morning that teenager A, a 16-year-old boy, had been already charged under section 112 of the Road Traffic Act for the unlawful taking and using of a mechanically propelled vehicle without the owner's consent.

She also heard that a warrant for his arrest, which had been issued in the Dunshaughlin District Court, was executed for alleged older and separate offences. Sgt John Sherlock of Ashbourne Station, said the 16-year-old was charged with criminal damage and burglary of a house in Slane, Co Meath, on October 15th, 2001.

READ MORE

The court was also told that the boy had been charged under Section 8 of the Public Order Act for failing to comply with the directions of a garda to move on, which occurred in September 2001.

Teenager B, also 16, who had already been charged with unlawful carriage in a mechanically propelled vehicle without its owner's consent, was further charged with the same burglary and criminal damage offences as his co-accused, the court was told yesterday.

Solicitor John Quinn, representing both boys, pleaded to have them released on bail. Last week a judge had remanded them to St Patrick's Institution pending directions from the DPP and the likelihood of "more serious charges."

However, Insp Tony Gallagher told Judge Watkin that there was still an objection to bail and applied to have them remanded in custody.

Judge Watkin refused to release the teenagers into the custody of their parents who were at yesterday's proceedings and remanded them to St Patrick's Institutions until February 3rd next to deal with these new charges.

Further charges relating to the incident in which the taxi driver died are still anticipated pending directions from the DPP, the court had already heard.