A 17-year-old boy has been banned from using scrambler motorcycles after he was charged over a €40,000 drug seizure in Dublin last week.
The youth, who cannot be named because he is a minor, was arrested after gardaí recovered heroin and cocaine at two locations around the Blanchardstown college campus of TU Dublin on January 21st last.
The boy appeared before Judge Colin Daly at the Dublin Children’s Court today charged with possessing drugs for sale or supply contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Garda Hayley Robinson asked for bail conditions to be imposed due to the seriousness of the case. The value of the drug seizure was €40,000, she told the court.
She asked for the youth to be ordered to sign on daily at his local garda station, but defence solicitor Niamh McKernan objected.
Bail conditions
The solicitor said the teen, who was accompanied to court by his mother, had not been in trouble before and there were no concerns that he would not turn up to court.
Other onerous conditions sought would allay the garda’s fears, she argued.
Judge Daly held that he must sign on three days a week at the garda station.
The youth was also ordered to obey a curfew. The judge set the hours having taken into account the times the youth takes part in sports activities.
The teen, who did not address the court, was told he had to provide gardaí with a contact phone number and reside at his home address. He cannot associate with a named man who was also arrested during the investigation.
No scramblers
Garda Robinson also asked the court to impose a bail term stating the accused must not drive or be a passenger on a scrambler motorcycle. She added that there was one at the scene along with a helmet and gloves at the time of arrest.
Judge Daly agreed to impose that condition along with a final one compelling the youth to stay out of TU Blanchardstown, where he was arrested.
Analysis of the substances need to be carried out before directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions are obtained. Judge Daly ordered the youth to appear again in February for a preliminary hearing to decide if the case will remain in the juvenile court or go forward to the circuit court which has tougher sentencing powers.
Legal aid was granted to the boy who was hugged by his mother as he took up bail. He has not yet indicated how he will plead.
