A 16-year-old boy caused €15,000 worth of damage to the Ballydowd Special Care Unit when he went on the rampage and smashed up three rooms, the Dublin Children's Court was told yesterday.
The boy had pleaded guilty to criminally damaging three bedrooms and another charge of assault when he punched a garda in the face.
Garda Sean Maher, Ronanstown Garda station, said that on January 14th last, the boy had smashed up a wooden table and a worktop in his bedroom. When Garda Maher arrived at the scene the boy was brandishing a piece of wood and threatening staff.
On January 19th, the boy caused €5,600 damage to another bedroom and on January 24th he was again caught damaging furniture and plumbing in another room. He had broken tables, a door and a wash-hand basin.
Garda Maher said the boy had been responsible for nearly €15,000 worth of damage in Ballydowd. The court was told he faced newer charges for criminally damaging more facilities there to the value of €5,000.
At yesterday's hearing, solicitor Mr Peter Mullens said the estimations were so high because the facilities were an easy target and the boy could not have caused as much damage if he had been in a prison cell.
An Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) official said the boy left three rooms "out of operation" and although his behaviour had improved in recent weeks, there was some concern for staff members in Ballydowd. He also had a negative influence on other youths there, he said.
"I think that he was so out of control when he attacked the garda that I would question how safely we could contain him," he said.
On the assault charge, Garda Sean O'Sullivan, Sundrive Road, said the boy escaped from the care workers' custody on March 7th last and spent the rest of the day drinking. He was later arrested in his family home, very drunk.
Garda O'Sullivan said the boy was very abusive when gardaí were returning him to the Ballydowd Special Care Unit. He told them that he would hide matches in his rectum and then set fire to his room. He also told the arresting gardaí they were lucky he did not have a knife.
Garda O'Sullivan said when the boy was handed over to the care workers he put up a struggle and Garda Neil Crowley was asked to assist. The boy struck out, hitting the garda on the face twice.
At an appearance in court, counsel for the ERHA had asked that the boy be remanded elsewhere. But the defence counsel argued he had to be remanded at Ballydowd in compliance with a High Court order.
The case was subsequently appealed in the High Court and the boy was sent to St Patrick's Institution for a week before he was returned to Ballydowd on condition he would not misbehave.
In mitigation, Mr Mullens said his client had childhood difficulties but since spending a brief period in St Patrick's Institution did not want to return there.
Judge Mary Collins said the safety of others in Ballydowd was a concern and the boy's activities were preventing other young people from benefiting from the facilities at the care unit.
"You decided that no one else could get any value out of Ballydowd and went on the rampage," she told him.
She remanded the boy back at the special care unit but said if he misbehaved or damaged any property, himself or staff members there, he would serve a sentence of two years in St Patrick's.
The case was adjourned to July 23rd next.