A teenager with 75 previous convictions will be released on a one year probation bond in December for a litany of crimes committed after he was let out on a suspended sentence.
The 17-year-old youth was given his third one-year probation bond in as many years at the Dublin Children's Court yesterday, for 19 offences committed after he had been freed on a suspended sentence on July 22nd last - on his 56th conviction.
At that time he was ordered to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two years and not commit further crimes or he would face prison. But that evening he was arrested for being drunk and fighting with his girlfriend on O'Connell Street.
A judge had activated the suspended sentence in October and the boy was sent to St Patrick's Institution with a release date in mid-December. Sentencing on the 19 outstanding charges was adjourned until yesterday pending a report from the probation and welfare service.
His most recent offences were for being drunk and disorderly in public, theft, unlawful carriage in a stolen car, fighting on the streets and possession of a wheel brace for use in a burglary, which he admitted.
The court had heard that he had been charged 106 times over the last two years and in that period he has failed to turn up to court 34 times. He had blamed his circumstances and living on the streets for having broken the law so many times. His first conviction was on March 19, 2000 when he was aged just 14.
Judge Browne imposed the one year probation bond freeing the boy after his current term expires in December but warned him that should he break any of the conditions he would end up in custody.