Teenagers allegedly caused €27,000 damage to care home

SOME details of the wrecking of a care home for juveniles in North Wexford emerged during a sitting of the District Court in Gorey.

Judge Grainne O’Neill heard that the garda regional response unit was called to the care home in question.

The disturbance on September 11 caused damage to the tune of €27,000, it was alleged in court.

The judge was dealing briefly with criminal damager and other charges against a 17-year-old who was brought to Gorey from the Oberstown detention centre in North County Dublin.

According to Sergeant Victor Isdell, the young defendant assaulted response unit member Paul Donohue by slamming a door on his arm.

The youth sought bail, telling the court that he went through a period of turmoil when his mother died.

He lived with his grandmother before being placed in the home at the age of 16.

He offered to obey the house rules and obey a curfew if allowed to return there.

However, bail was denied after he admitted that he had repeatedly gone missing from the house in August and September.

On one occasion when he was supposed to be in bed at the care home, he was found after midnight by gardaí in Tallaght.

‘I wasn’t thinking,’ said the accused in response to questioning by Sergeant Isdell. ‘I was on drugs.’

The matter stands adjourned to December 8 while a book of evidence is being prepared.

Also in court was a 15-year-old who also faces charges arising from the September 11 riot.

Bail was not opposed after the court was told that he is now living in a Dublin-based care home, with further consideration of all charges put back to December 8.