Two train passengers had to fight off teenagers, including one armed with a screwdriver making a stab threat, before they were attacked, chased and mugged on a platform at Connolly Station in Dublin, a court heard.
A boy and girl, aged 16, have been charged with robbery on the evening of July 17th, 2022. The boy had an additional charge for producing a weapon during the incident, which carried on for 20 minutes and spilt out onto the packed station platform.
They appeared before Judge Paul Kelly at the Dublin Children’s Court, which heard the sustained incident began when a man and woman were on a crowded train from Malahide station to the city centre.
Judge Kelly held the boy’s case should go forward to the Circuit Court, which has broader sentencing powers. However, the girl pleaded guilty, and he accepted jurisdiction for her prosecution to remain in the Children’s Court.
'Nasty' incident
In an outline of the evidence, Garda Kelly McKiernan described it as a "nasty" incident. She said the man and woman, in their late 20s, had been travelling from Malahide to Connolly station when two males and two females tried to take the man’s scooter.
She alleged that the boy approached a second time, “produced a screwdriver”, and told the man, who had a €900 e-scooter: “Sit down or I will stab you."
His friend, a woman who tried to intervene, was punched in the face several times.
The man pushed the teen away and disarmed him. The screwdriver dropped on the floor, and the man pushed it away with his foot.
The court heard the incident went on for about 20 minutes, and when the train got to Connolly Station, the man and his friend were chased up the platform.
The girl, then 15 and intoxicated, attacked the woman and punched her several times in the face. The pair took the e-scooter, but Irish Rail’s security intervened when they tried to ride away along the platform.
The woman had a cut lip and sore hand, while the man had a sore arm and shoulders afterwards.
CCTV
Judge Kelly watched CCTV footage of the incident.
He noted from defence solicitor Brian Keenan that the teenage girl was apologetic and had a “difficult number of years” due to issues in her family background.
The girl also developed a significant alcohol problem which led to interventions for her welfare, the court heard.
The judge asked for a pre-sentence probation report on her to be furnished to the court in September. He also asked gardaí to canvas the man and woman about providing victim impact statements.
Counsel said the boy had been affected by the “disintegration of his family” and went on a “downward spiral”. However, the judge held his case should be dealt with at a higher level.
The youth, accompanied to court by his grandmother, was remanded on continuing bail to appear again later this month to be served with a book of evidence. The defendants cannot be named because they are minors.
