SECOND BOY CHARGED WITH ANA MURDER
13-year-old remanded in custody over death of schoolgirl
A SECOND child has appeared in court charged with the murder of tragic teen Anastasia Kriegel.
The 13-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, sat close to his mother and solicitor and was remanded in custody.
Ana’s body was found in a disused farmhouse in Lucan three days after the 14-year-old went missing on May 14.
A SECOND teenage boy appeared in court yesterday charged with the murder of schoolgirl Anastasia Kriegel.
The 13-year-old, who cannot be named, appeared before Judge John O’connor at Dublin District Children’s Court in Smithfield.
He was charged with the murder of 14-year-old Anastasia, also known as Ana, at Glenwood House, Laraghcon, Clonee Road, Co Dublin on May 14.
The court heard the accused was arrested at 8.15am yesterday and later charged at Lucan Garda station.
Wearing a pink hoodie, blue jeans and black runners, the teenager sat close to his mother and his solicitor David Powderly for the court proceedings.
When asked by the judge if it was his first time in court, he replied, “Yes”. The court heard from Detective Sergeant Damien Gannon from Lucan Garda station who gave evidence of the teenager’s his arrest.
He said the boy made no reply to the charge after caution.
The accused was handed a true copy of the charge and said his mother was present at the time of arrest and the time of charge.
At this stage the boy raised his right hand and quietly asked permission to use the toilet.
He was brought out and re-entered the courtroom two minutes later when the proceedings resumed.
Judge O’connor said that due to the nature of the charge the Children’s Court did not have jurisdiction to rule on the issue of bail.
But he granted the teenager free legal aid. Bail in murder cases can only be granted in the High Court.
Judge O’connor asked Det Sgt Gannon if the special directions, necessary due to the boy’s age, had been obtained from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The officer said: “The DPP has given them”, however, he did not have a copy of the directions with him.
Judge O’connor told the court the boy had a right to a fair trial and also stressed the right to anonymity, a protection provided by the Children’s Act and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
He warned that no details of the teenager’s name, address or school or any photos that would identify him could be published, along with any other details that could lead to his name entering the public domain. The court probation officer was asked to check if there was a space available in the Oberstown Detention Centre in North Dublin for the accused and Det Sgt Gannon said he had already enquired and there was room.
Judge O’connor then remanded the teenager in custody to appear again next Wednesday.
He allowed the accused’s mother to spend time with her son before he was transferred but said that had to be done downstairs in the building.
The boy is the second teenager to be charged with murder in connection with the schoolgirl’s death.
Ana, who was adopted from Russia at the age of two, was reported missing on May 14 and her body was found three days later at the disused farmhouse.