Courts / Dublin / Report

Boy (16) with 62 previous convictions carried out violent bus robbery

Date
2022-03-01

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

A 16‑year‑old boy with 62 prior convictions was convicted of robbery on a bus in Dublin on 23 March 2021. He dragged a victim off the bus, punched him, threatened him with a knife and stole his phone and ear‑phone. The victim suffered facial swelling and cuts and was a promising footballer. The boy pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally noted the victim's psychological effects and the boy's history of violence, drug use and association with anti‑social peers. She said the boy was making good progress in education and skill development while in detention. The judge sentenced him to two‑and‑a‑half years' detention. The boy had been on bail for assault and theft offences at the time of the robbery. The defence counsel highlighted the client's family difficulties and foster placements, and that no knife was actually produced during the incident. The boy is receiving counselling for addiction while detained.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Boy (16) with 62 previous convictions carried out violent bus robbery. Charges or matters: robbery on a bus at Navan Road, Dublin 7, on March 23, 2021. Procedural stage: sentence

When: