THREE BOYS aged 14 and 15 have been charged in connection with a series of thefts across six counties in Ireland.
The teenagers appeared before Judge Gerry Jones at Dublin Children’s Court on multiple charges of thefts in Laois, Galway, Dublin, Kildare, Westmeath, and Offaly.
Court Garda Fionnuala Monaghan told the judge that it was a “very complex file” and anticipated that it would take some time for it to be prepared. She was addressing the court on behalf of the numerous investigating gardai.
The three teens, who were accompanied to court by family members, were remanded on continuing bail to appear again in three weeks. None of the boys addressed the court and have not yet indicated how they will plead.
Barrister Damian McKeone acting for the trio asked the court to note one of them was aged only 14 and asked that there would be a certain amount of expediting in getting directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The judge concluded that the charges related to offences around the country and therefore was not a straightforward case.
Two of the older boys are charged with a series of thefts including the following:
- Stealing a charity box containing approximately €60 from a garage shop in Portarlington, Co. Laois last November.
- Stealing a €700 phone from an Eir shop on Dublin’s Henry Street between the dates of June 1st and June 14th
- Theft of another €700 phone from an Eir shop in Blanchardstown and stealing a phone worth €900 at Liffey Valley shopping centre in Dublin between 1 November and 14 November last.
- Theft of another phone worth €880 from a Three shop on Pearse Street, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath on 28th October last.
- Theft of a phone valued at €669 at DID in the Tullamore retail park and another phone worth €479 from Expert electrical Cloncolling industrial estate in the same Co. Offaly town on 11 November last.
The youngest of the three faces charges of theft of €51 of petrol at a service station in Leixlip, Co. Kildare, €52 worth of petrol from a garage in Kilcock, Co. Kildare, and €40 worth of petrol three days earlier at a service station in Clonsilla, Co. Dublin.
The three teens and their families are of Eastern European origin and Judge Jones agreed to order interpreters to be present at the next hearing.
