Youth accused of ramming Garda car has bail revoked after goading detectives on electric motorbike

A Dublin youth accused of ramming a patrol vehicle carrying two gardaí in Ballyfermot has had his bail revoked and was held in custody on Friday.

Dublin Children’s Court heard claims the teen recently followed detectives on an electric motorbike to get a chase, and nearly ran over a child doing a “wheelie”.

Judge Michele Finan accepted he had breached a road ban, which was one of his bail terms, and remanded him to the Oberstown Children Detention Campus.

The boy (16) is awaiting trial over an 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.

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The schoolboy is charged with unlawful use of a stolen car at Cedarbrook Avenue, dangerous driving in a manner including speed at Cherry Orchard Avenue, criminal damage to a Garda car and endangering the lives of the two officers.

Psychological assessments had commenced at the behest of the defence in preparation for the trial venue decision.

Detective Garda Chris Jones obtained an arrest warrant to bring the boy back before the court on Friday to apply for bail revocation.

In evidence, he said the teen had broken a 10pm – 8am curfew and an order not to use any motor vehicle.

He alleged 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. Detective Garda Jones said he took a photo of the boy to “detract him from goading us to chase him”.

The court heard that earlier this week, the teenager was spotted doing an estimated 60 – 70km/h on the same electric motorbike in a crowded area.

Detective Garda Jones said the teen went on footpaths and almost collided with a young child while performing a wheelie.

Defence solicitor Lorraine Stephens told Judge Finan her client accepted that he broke the terms and pleaded for a final chance for the boy, who has no prior convictions and had never been in custody.

She said the teen’s assessment needed to be completed, and in future his visibly upset mother would agree to custody if he kept breaking the bail terms.

Ms Stephens also said there is a loophole in the law about electric scooters, often sold to young people as not being considered mechanically propelled vehicles.

The teen’s family “clubbed together” to buy the one referred to in the evidence because the boy had been good.

However, his mother, who was present for the hearing with two other relatives, has confiscated it, and it will be sold.

Judge Finan said there had to be 100 per cent compliance with bail terms, and he knew he was “off the road” and had to obey a curfew. She remanded him in custody to appear again next Friday but a fresh bail application could be brought at a later stage.