Judge grants bail for second 13-year-old boy charged with Ana Kriegel murder
The second 13-year-old boy to be charged with the murder of Kildare schoolgirl Anastasia Kriegel has been granted bail by Mr Justice Robert Eagar in the High Court.
The boy, who cannot be named because he is a minor, is accused of the murder of 14-year-old girl at Glenwood House, Laraghcon, Clonee Road, Lucan on May 14, contrary to common law.
He has been held in custody at the Oberstown detention centre in north Dublin since July 12 when he was charged.
He brought a bail application which came before Mr Justice Eagar at the High Court sitting in Cloverhill today.
The teenager, dressed in a cream hoodie top and black jeans, sat between his parents during the in camera hearing. He was accompanied to court by his barrister Damien Colgan SC (with solicitor David Powderly) who pleaded for bail.
Aideen Collard BL, appeared for the State. Garda Inspector Mark O’Neill who is leading the investigation objected to bail.
Reporting restrictions were imposed by the judge who agreed to grant bail subject to strict conditions.
The teenager spoke briefly to confirm he understood the order.
He will face his next hearing at the Children’s Court on August 28 next when it is expected that he will be served with a book of evidence and returned for trial.
At his first hearing on July 12 at the Children’s Court, Detective Sergeant Damien Gannon gave evidence of his arrest at the boy’s home that morning and being charged at Lucan Garda station.
He had said the boy, “made no reply to the charge after caution”.
Special directions, necessary due to the boy’s age, had been obtained from the DPP, the court had been told.
Due to the nature of the charge, the Children’s Court does not have jurisdiction to rule on the issue of bail.
Anastasia, known as Ana, who was adopted from Russia at the age of two, left her house in Leixlip, at about 5pm on May 14, however, she did not come home and gardaí were alerted. Her body was found at the disused farmhouse three days later.
The co-accused, who was also aged 13, had been remanded in custody on May 25 by the Dublin Children’s Court. He was the first to be charged with her murder.
Bail terms, however, were set by the High Court and he was released at the start this month. He is due to appear again at the Children’s Court on August 30 next.
The court has 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 books of evidence have been completed.
There has been no indication yet as to how either boy intends to plead.
