Teenager rammed bail at Cherry Orchard revoked after he ‘goaded’ Gardai on electric motorcycle

Dublin Children’s Court heard allegations the teenager had recently followed investigators in search of a car chase and almost ran over a child in a wheelie.

Judge Michele Finan acknowledged that he violated a road ban, which was one of his bail conditions, and remanded him to the Obertown Children Detention Campus.

The 16-year-old boy is awaiting trial for an incident on Cherry Orchard Avenue in Ballyfermot, Dublin, on the evening of September 19, 2022. Clips of the scenes went viral on social media last year.

A stolen silver Toyota Aqua collided twice head-on with the Garda car, which was also “snapped” once by another Toyota Aqua allegedly being driven by the boy.

He had been released on bail on several stringent conditions. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for September to consider whether his case should remain in the children’s court or be referred to the district court, which has greater jurisdiction.

The student is charged with illegally using a stolen car on Cedarbrook Avenue, dangerous driving including speeding on Cherry Orchard Avenue, vandalizing a Garda car and endangering the lives of two officers.

In preparation for the decision on the place of the hearing, the psychological assessment had begun on the instructions of the defense.

Detective Garda Chris Jones obtained an arrest warrant to bring the boy back into court today and ask for his bail to be released.

As evidence, he said the teenager had violated the 10pm-8am curfew and instructions not to use a motor vehicle.

He claimed that on a date in July, the teenager rode an electric motorcycle at speeds of up to 80 km/h and followed a Garda vehicle around south Dublin for 10 to 15 minutes. Detective Jones said he took a picture of the boy to “stop him from getting us to go after him”.

On another day last month, the teenager was found several hours after his curfew at a home with other family members.

Another curfew violation occurred when the teenager was part of a crowd who verbally abused Gardai but complied with requests to leave the area.

The court heard the teenager was spotted earlier this week in a busy area riding the same electric motorcycle at an estimated speed of 60 to 70 km/h.

Detective Jones said the teenager was walking on sidewalks and nearly collided with a small child while doing a wheelie.

Defense attorney Lorraine Stephens told Judge Finan that her client accepted that he had broken the terms and pleaded for a last chance for the boy, who had no criminal record and had never been held in custody.

She said the teenager’s assessment must be completed and that his visibly upset mother will agree to future custody if he continues to break bail.

Ms Stephens also said there was a loophole in the law regarding electric scooters, which are often sold to young people, as they are not considered mechanically powered vehicles.

The teenager’s family “joined together” to buy the one named in the evidence because the boy had been good.

However, his mother, who was present at the hearing along with two other relatives, confiscated it and it is being sold.

Judge Finan said bail conditions had to be 100 percent respected and he knew he was “off the road” and had to comply with a curfew. She sent him into custody to appear again next Friday, but a new request for bail could be made at a later date.

Another 16-year-old boy accused of hitting the Garda car twice during the incident remains on bail and will appear in court again in September. A book of evidence is to be served on him and he is to be referred to the Supreme Court where he will plead not guilty.

A 15-year-old boy who admitted being a passenger in one of the stolen cars is awaiting sentencing in Children’s Court; His case will continue later.