A Dublin youth has received a six-month custodial sentence for endangering two female gardaí in a patrol vehicle which was rammed by stolen cars in Ballyfermot last year.
The 16-year-old boy, who later used a high-powered electric motorbike on bail while "goading" gardaí, had his case finalised at the Dublin Children's Court on Tuesday.
District Court president Judge Paul Kelly also placed the teen, who is to be detained at the Oberstown Children Detention Campus, on supervised probation for 12 months. He cannot be identified because he is a minor.
At earlier stages in the proceedings, probation reports were sought on the boy who had already spent a 10-day stint in custody on remand for breach of bail.
The court had heard that in August the teen followed detectives to get a chase and nearly ran over a child doing a "wheelie".
However, after spending a week and a half in custody, he was released back on bail with a warning to obey the reinstated conditions, including a ban on using any motor vehicle.
The schoolboy, who was accompanied to court by family, had pleaded guilty to endangerment of the two officers' lives, a motor theft offence, criminal damage and dangerous driving in connection with the incident at Cherry Orchard Avenue in Ballyfermot, Dublin, on the evening of September 19th, 2022. Clips of the scenes went viral on social media last year.
A stolen silver Toyota Aqua collided head-on twice with the patrol car, which was also "side-swiped" once by another Toyota Aqua, driven by the boy who maintained he had not intentionally connected with the garda vehicle.
The defence had organised psychological assessments. However, the court had heard that he had broken a 10 pm – 8 am court-imposed curfew and an order not to use any motor vehicle.
'Goading' gardaí
The court heard that on a date in July, the teenager was on an electric motorbike capable of up to 80km/h, which followed a garda vehicle for 10 to 15 minutes in south Dublin. A garda detective took a photo of the boy to "detract him from goading us to chase him".
On another date in August, the teenager was found in a house of extended family members several hours beyond his curfew.
Another curfew breach happened when the teen was part of a crowd verbally abusing gardaí, but he complied with a caution to leave the vicinity.
The court heard that in August, the teenager was spotted doing an estimated 60 – 70km/h on the same electric motorbike in a crowded area.
Detective Chris Jones had said the teen went on footpaths and almost collided with a young child while performing a wheelie.
Defence solicitor Lorraine Stephens had said her client, who has no prior convictions and had never been in custody before this case, accepted he broke the bail terms.
Another 16-year-old boy, accused of twice ramming the garda car during the incident, remains on bail and is due back in court this month. His case was sent to a higher court on a not-guilty plea.
A 15-year-old boy who admitted to being a passenger in one of the stolen cars is awaiting sentence at the Children's Court; his case resumes later.
