Murder accused, 13, granted bail
A 13-YEAR-OLD boy has been released pending trial for the murder of Kildare schoolgirl Ana Kriegel, but has been ordered to comply with a bail supervision programme.
The boy, who cannot be named because he is a minor, was the first to be charged with the murder of the 14-year-old girl at Glenwood House, Laraghcon, Clonee Road, Lucan, Co. Dublin, on May 14.
Anastasia, known as Ana, who was adopted from Russia at the age of two, left her home in Leixlip, at about 5pm on May 14. However she did not return and when her parents were unable to contact her they alerted gardaí. Her body was found at a disused farmhouse three days later.
The accused was charged and remanded in custody on May 25 last, but on Monday bail terms were set in the High Court.
The teenager arrived for his latest hearing at the Dublin Children’s Court yesterday accompanied by his father and his grandfather, but he did not address the court.
A State solicitor told Judge Flann Brennan the Director of Public Prosecutions had issued a direction under Section 52.4 of the 2001 Children Act confirming the case will proceed.
The Children Act is the legal framework of the juvenile justice system.
The judge heard the DPP has consented and ‘has directed trial on indictment in respect of this charge’ which means the case will be transferred to the Central Criminal Court once the book of evidence has been completed.
The book of evidence was being drafted and would probably be ready in three or four weeks, the court had heard at an hearing on July 23 last.
Defence solicitor Donough Molloy told Judge Brennan there was consent to a fourweek adjournment.
The terms of bail, which required an independent surety, were not stated at the hearing yesterday.
However, Garda Inspector Mark O’Neill said the High Court had ordered the boy and his family to liaise with the Extern Ireland organisation with regard to bail issues.
A youth worker from the agency has met the boy’s family already and was in court for the hearing.
Inspector O’Neill proposed that the youth worker assigned to the case would provide an assessment for the next hearing at the Children’s Court on August 30. The teen was then remanded on bail. On July 12 last, a second 13-year-old boy, was also charged with Ana’s murder and he was remanded to the Oberstown youth detention centre. He remains in custody, however, and is due to face his next hearing on August 14 next.
The Children’s Court has issued a warning that any attempt to identify the pair on social media would result in prosecution.