The 16-year-old youth who was driving the car which killed Garda Michael Padden and Garda Anthony Tighe had 24 previous convictions and was given 12 months probation for charges ranging from burglary to stealing cars and careless driving.
The youth, who cannot be named, was given the probation bond at the Dublin Children's Court last February 27th. Twenty of his previous convictions were committed while he was on bail.
The youth was 16 at the time of his last appearance in court and would have been eligible to serve a sentence in a institution for juvenile offenders.
Informed sources say he has 24 previous convictions from September 2000 until June 2001. When he was given the 12 months probation, he had seven convictions for stealing a car.
He also had one conviction for allowing himself to be carried in a stolen vehicle as a passenger, two convictions for driving without a licence and two for driving without insurance.
The youth, who is believed to have been driving the sports car which smashed into the patrol vehicle of Garda Padden and Garda Tighe, also had one previous conviction for careless driving.
There were also three convictions for failing to turn up in court for his hearing and two public order offences. He also faced three criminal damage charges and two larceny charges.
Sources also say that the 15- year-old passenger in the Mazda has no previous convictions but is facing four charges for failing to turn up to court and one charge for stealing a car.
The alleged offences date back to 2001.
On March 15th last he was remanded on bail at the Dublin Children's Court until April 26th for probation reports.