Three Dublin teenage boys have been charged with the murder of schoolboy Alan Higgins, who was attacked and robbed in Coolock last October.
Bail was refused and the three were held in custody after the Dublin Children's Court heard that the boys, all aged 16, were no longer accused of the schoolboy's manslaughter, but of his murder instead.
Judge John O'Neill heard that the three, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been further charged with murdering Mr Higgins at the UCI cinema complex, on the Malahide Road, Coolock, on the night of October 12th, 2002.
They were already charged with robbery of a mobile phone and a wallet of unknown value from Mr Higgins, on the same date. New charges for assaults and robberies against other persons on the same date and in the same location were also put to them.
Detective Garda Kevin Fields, of Coolock Station, told the court that he arrested teenager A, who was 15 at the time of the incident, this morning and charged him with murder.
When cautioned after the charge was put to him, the boy made "no reply." He was also charged with separate assault and robbery offences against other persons on the same day, in Coolock, the court heard.
Judge O'Neill was also told that teenager A had also been arrested for drunk and disorderly offences on March 9th. He remanded the boy in custody to St Patrick's Institution for one week pending the service of a book of evidence.
Teenager B, also aged 16, was arrested today and further charged with murdering Mr Higgins. He was also charged with assault and robbery of other persons on the same day in Coolock.
A manslaughter charge previously put to him was withdrawn by the state and Judge O'Neill remanded him in custody in St Patrick's Institution until March 27th next.
A manslaughter charge was withdrawn in the case of teenager C (16) who was further charged with murdering Alan Higgins. He also faces charges for assault causing harm and robbery of another person on the same date in Coolock and was held in custody in St Patrick's Institution for one week.