Kildare teen sent for milk ends up in fight at off-license, court hears
Athy courthouse
A KILDARE schoolboy who was sent for milk but ended up in a fight in an off-licence will have to wait a fortnight to have his case heard after his co-defendant cousin failed to show up.
“What is a 14-year-old boy doing in an off-licence?” enquired Judge Desmond Zaidan.
“His mother sent him to get milk,” offered defending solicitor Jacqui McManus.
The offence is alleged to have occurred in a known establishment on 9 November.
“Gardaí were called to a disturbance in [named] off-licence. There were three youths fighting there and Mr [defendant] gave the wrong name,” explained Sergeant Dave Hanrahan. (This is contrary to S24(ii) of the Public Order Act). The youth appeared in court in his school uniform, accompanied by both his parents.
At this point, the boy’s mother stood to explain the happenings that day to the judge.
“A man and a woman in the shop accused two others of damaging their car and wouldn’t let them out of the shop, they hit my son,” she alleged.
“Don’t be hanging around with the wrong cousins,” warned the judge.
“If you’re found guilty, I can send you to Oberstown for one year,” he said.
“I understand boys can be mischievous, but don’t cross the line into criminal,” he warned.
Then the judge took an obtuse line, pointing at the back wall.
“What colour is that? Green?” he asked the boy.
“No, it’s yellow,” said the bemused teen.
“You see? You can tell right from wrong,” noted the judge, before turning to the parents.
“You want better for him?” he asked.
“Oh yes!” said the mother.
“He’s already in the juvenile liaison scheme,” she admitted.
“That’s worrying,” said the judge, “that means he’s already acted the maggot.”
“He’s not mixing with that crew anymore,” said the mother.
“Will you give a commitment to stay beyond the junior cert?” asked the judge, and the boy nodded.
“If you are without skills, people will use you for their own benefit,” he warned.
“They will take advantage of your good nature,” he said.
“Stay with the boxing and the soccer. And you like PE? Keep it up,” encouraged the judge.
“Look after this boy,” he said to the parents, before turning with a last bit of encouragement.
“Give it a go, and remember, you don’t have to be an Einstein … in school I was useless at maths,” he admitted, before remanding the boy on continuous bail to reappear on 10 June for hearing.
