Teenager pleads guilty to violent disorder at Laois Shopping Centre

A teenager who pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Laois Shopping Centre was ordered not to wear a ring. 

Shane Ward (19) Clonad, Portlaoise, is accused of violent disorder at Costa Coffee, Laois Shopping Centre, Portlaoise, on January 22, 2025.  

He was brought before Portlaoise District Court where Garda Billy O’Connor sought to revoke his bail. 

Garda O’Connor said the defendant was due to sign on three days a week at Portlaoise Garda Station but had not signed on once since November 3.  He said the teenager had breached his curfew and visited Laois Shopping Centre despite being barred as part of his bail conditions. 

Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said her client was pleading guilty to the offence of violent disorder. 

Garda O’Connor gave an outline of the violent disorder incident. He said the accused was with a number of other males when he spotted a young man walking into Costa Coffee. He said the accused followed the man in and began shouting at him before punching him in the head and body. 

“The coffee shop was full of customers ranging from elderly to middle aged,” said Garda O’Connor. He said CCTV of the incident shows customers getting up and leaving due to fear during the incident. 

He said the incident was allegedly caused by the injured party, who is also a young man, calling the defendant a name. 

Ms Fitzpatrick said her client “isn’t proud of his actions on the day” and she has had “a long hard chat” with him about the offending. She said her client had ADHD and “zero literacy skills” but he “should have known he was not welcome in Laois Shopping Centre”. 

The man took to the evidence box and apologised for breaching his bail conditions. 

Judge Andrew Cody noticed the defendant was wearing a large ring and asked him what he was doing with “that knuckle duster” on his hand. The defendant said “it’s from my grandfather” before he removed the ring. 

Judge Cody noted the guilty plea before adding a condition of bail that the defendant not wear any rings. He ordered a probation and welfare report and adjourned the case to Portlaoise District Court on January 8 to monitor bail conditions. Judge Cody said if there were any breaches of the bail conditions he would immediately sentence the defendant to four months.