Teenager (17) denied bail over Celbridge burglary

A 17-year-old boy has been denied bail after being charged over a burglary at a pensioner’s home in Co Kildare.

The 72-year-old man is in hospital after being attacked at Ardrass Lower, Celbridge at about 9.30pm on Tuesday. He is understood to be in a serious but stable condition at Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown.

Gardaí arrested the accused at 2.55 am on Wednesday and took him to Leixlip station. The teenager, who is from Dublin but cannot be named because he is a minor, on Thursday appeared before Judge Paul Kelly at the Dublin Children’s Court charged with burglary of the man’s cottage during the theft of a 2008-reg Husaberg motorcycle.

He was also charged with trespassing at another house on Ardrass Road, Celbridge in a manner that would cause fear and with stealing a bicycle from that property early on Wednesday.

He was also accused of 11 other offences connected with a range of incidents going back to July 2020 including obstructing a garda in the execution of his duty; unlawfully driving a stolen motor vehicle without a licence or insurance; theft of three electric bicycles; motor theft; stealing €73 of fuel from a service station; and trespassing.

Garda Aoife Leacy told the court the boy “made no reply” when charged in the presence of his mother. She opposed bail due to the seriousness of the case and the strength of evidence gathered. She agreed with Judge Kelly that one of the parties was allegedly armed with bolt cutters.

‘Stable home’

Defence solicitor Eoghan O’Sullivan said the teenager resided with his mother, had a stable home and was welcome to live there.

However, the garda said she did not feel that would be a deterrent for him. During the exchange with the solicitor, she acknowledged that the accused enjoyed the presumption of innocence.

The court heard the boy was arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary and gardaí needed to obtain directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions, which could take several months. Forensic test results were also being awaited.

It was alleged that in an interview, the boy made admissions to being involved in an aggravated burglary. However, the defence solicitor said the boy’s case was that those admissions were “made up by gardaí”.

Garda Leacy alleged the teen was arrested a kilometre from the burglary on a bicycle stolen from a neighbour’s house.

Judge Kelly refused bail and remanded the boy in custody to the Oberstown detention centre to appear again next Wednesday.