Judge tells Offaly teenager facing multiple criminal charges that he has a lot going for him
DISTRICT Court Judge Andrew Cody told an Offaly teenager facing multiple criminal charges that he has a lot going for him and appealed to him to co-operate with those helping him.
The 16-year-old appeared before Tullamore District Court after being arrested in connection with his failure to appear in court elsewhere.
A garda told Judge Cody that there had been nine breaches of bail conditions by the accused juvenile since January 11.
Four of those related to his failure to sign on at a garda station as ordered by the court and four more were in connection with alleged public order incidents.
“The public order incidents are quite concerning,” said Judge Cody.
Defending solicitor Donal Farrelly told the court his client had not signed on at the garda station because he had to appear in court on the same day.
The court heard the teenager is suspected of assault and violent disorder and a file will be going to the DPP in relation to those allegations.
The accused has been on bail in relation to other charges and while he is now living at home, he was previously in the Oberstown detention centre.
“I'm disappointed,” Judge Cody told the teenager. “I thought you were doing well.”
He said he would keep the boy “on a short lead” and adjourn the prosecutions from week as he had been doing previously. He wished to ensure the teenager complied with the bail conditions.
A youth worker told the court she had been working with the accused since June of last year and his engagement had really improved since January and since he got out of Oberstown.
He had been to every session and had attended his Community Alcohol and Drug Service appointments.
The youth worker said the teenager had admitted having an issue with substance misuse and the plan is to admit him to a treatment centre for minors.
A referral and request for funding had been sent in and the estimated wait time would be four to six weeks before he could start.
The witness said a lot of the teenager's charges arose from times when he'd been under the influence and she felt time in the treatment centre would be very beneficial for him.
Judge Cody told the accused: “I think you're a bright young fellow, I think you've a good future in front of you.”
The judge added: “You've a lot going for you I think. That's why I've been keeping you on a short lead but you have to work with us, you have to help us.”
When the judge said he was sure he did not want to go back to Oberstown, the defendant replied “No.”
Judge Cody said it was either one or the other for the teenager, Obserstown or the treatment centre.
He said: “Every day I come in here I have to remind myself, addiction isn't a crime.”
He asked the accused to try his best to stay away from substance abuse and if he did, not to get into trouble and start committing public order offences.
He remand him on continuing bail to March 22 for an update. “You need to work with us. Don't be working against us. You can achieve a lot.”
When the teenager appeared in court before Christmas he told the judge that he had not slept in three days and the previous month the same court heard how when he was in the care of Tusla he left his hostel in Dublin and was found intoxicated in the city centre.
The 16-year-old had previously made two suicide attempts, one of which resulted in him being treated at a hospital intensive care unit, the court heard.
The teenager is on bail after being accused of a number of offences in locations on different occasions in Offaly last year, including causing criminal damage, illegally possessing a mallet and a knife, public drunkenness, a breach of the peace, and theft.
It is a condition of his bail that he reside at a particular address but Judge Cody heard previously that when gardai checked the location many times, he was not there.
A garda told the court that on one occasion he was found intoxicated and asleep on a couch in a different residence and on another occasion a garda believed he was under the influence of a combination of drink and drugs and was slurring his words.
A social worker for Tusla detailed that he had been taken into voluntary care on November 9 and while there were no issues that day or the following day; for three days after that there were issues with his presentation and behaviour.
On one occasion he left his care setting and was found highly intoxicated in a public building in the city centre and was taken to hospital.
Called to give sworn evidence himself in court late last year, the teenager accepted that he had breached his bail conditions and that he had a drug problem.
He told Judge Cody he was very sorry for everything and would engage with his social worker and the drugs worker.
“I'm really trying my best to be on my best behaviour,” he said.
He had been before a different judge who advised him to get involved in sport and boxing and try to get employment.
He knew he would have to abide by his bail conditions to avoid being put in custody and he knew that was somewhere he did not wish to go.
“I don't think I'd come out a better person,” he told the judge.