Two teenage boys arrested in connection with last Saturday morning's collision between two cars in Dublin, in which a 30-year-old taxi-driver was killed, have been remanded in custody pending directions from the DPP and the likelihood of "more serious charges."
Mr Robert McGowan, a taxi-man from Galtymore Road, Drimnagh, died in the collision in the early hours of Saturday morning after his car was hit by another vehicle. Two boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have been charged with unlawfully taking and being a passenger in a stolen car in relation to the incident.
Judge Mary Collins heard at the Dublin Children's Court yesterday that teenager A, a 16-year-old boy, had been charged under section 112 of the Road Traffic Act with the unlawful taking and using of a vehicle without the owner's consent.
Insp Tony Gallagher told the court that he arrested the boy at 12.40 a.m. on Monday, outside the Mountjoy Garda Station on the North Circular Road.
He was charged five minutes later and in reply to caution he said: " I don't know what you are talking about." The injured boy, who sat in the defendant's chair, had bad bruising and a swollen face and had instructed his solicitor, Mr John Quinn, to seek bail.
However, Insp Gallagher said it was anticipated that "more serious charges" would be put to the boy and applied to have him remanded in custody.
Judge Collins consented to the garda's request for a one-week custodial remand. However, she acceded to Mr Quinn's submission to be allowed to reopen the question of bail on the next date.
Legal aid was granted and the judge directed the provision of medical treatment for the boy while in custody. He was remanded to Clover Hill until January 20th next.
Teenager B, also 16, was charged with unlawful carriage in a vehicle without the owner's consent. He had been arrested at 11.40 on Sunday night outside Mountjoy Garda Station, Insp Gallagher said.
Opposing the granting of bail, he said that a number of bench warrants were in existence for the boy's arrest for not attending court previously. He was remanded in custody to Clover Hill prison until January 20th.
Mr Quinn said that a Sunday newspaper had identified his clients by publishing their names with pictures. Judge Collins reiterated that details that would identify the teenagers - name, address and school attended - could not be published. She said it was essential that any further reports would not identify the youths.