A TEENAGER appeared in court yesterday following a stabbing attack in which seven people were injured in Drogheda, Co Louth, in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The 17-year-old accused, who cannot be named because he is a minor, was remanded in custody at a special sitting yesterday of Drogheda District Court.
He will appear before the courts again on Thursday, April 15th.
Yesterday’s court sitting heard that the boy’s mother had asked for a doctor to take a blood sample from him because she did not believe her son had only alcohol in his system when the incident took place.
The accused was arrested and questioned about the stabbing of seven people aged between 16 and 23 years at 12.30am on Saturday last on West Street, Drogheda.
The injured were taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda for treatment after the incident and three of them were still undergoing treatment yesterday. One of the victims was transferred to Dublin’s Mater hospital.
The seven people were injured in the attack that took place shortly after an earlier disturbance at a nearby public house. The injured parties were not involved in the earlier incident.
The accused youth faces charges of assault causing harm to Patrick Nutley, Mark Nutley and Steven Floody on West Street/Peter Street, Drogheda on April 10th.
He is also charged with producing a two-blade folding knife during the course of committing a crime.
Garda Raymond Brady, Drogheda, who arrested the accused, told Judge Flann Brennan that further, more serious charges may be brought.
Gardaí objected to the accused being granted bail and said it was alleged the youth was armed with a four to five-inch blade at the time and had attempted to flee the scene after the incident.
When defence solicitor James MacGuill said the incident was being perceived as a frenzied and random attack, Garda Brady replied that the investigation was ongoing.
Mr MacGuill said that if granted bail, the youth would reside away from Drogheda at a given address, sign on daily at a Garda station and surrender his passport.
The court was also told a medical assessment was planned for the teenager and that it would take place today.
His mother had asked for a doctor to be called to Drogheda Garda station to take a blood test, Mr MacGuill said.
She told the judge: “I asked for a blood sample, I didn’t believe there was just alcohol in his system.”
Judge Brennan said that after taking everything into consideration, he was not satisfied he should release the youth.
He remanded him in custody to St Patrick’s Institution and adjourned the case to the Children’s Court in Dublin this Thursday.