Two teenage youths already charged in connection with an incident which claimed the life of a 30-year-old taxi-driver have been further remanded in custody after a judge heard they were facing new charges for burglary and criminal damage offences.
Mr Robert McGowan died in the early hours of Saturday, January 11th, after his car was allegedly hit by so-called joyriders.
Judge Anne Watkin heard at the Dublin Children's Court yesterday that A, a 16-year-old youth, 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 Dunshaughlin District Court, was executed for alleged older and separate offences. Sgt John Sherlock said the 16-year-old was charged with criminal damage and burglary of a house in Slane on October 15th, 2001.
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.
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.
Mr 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 likeliehood 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.
The judge refused to release the teenagers into the custody of their parents, who were present during yesterday's proceedings and remanded them to St Patrick's Institution until February 3rd to deal with these new charges.
Further charges relating to the incident in which the taxi-driver died are still expected.