A Dublin teenager who attacked a woman twice in the space of two minutes in an attempt to take her mobile phone has been jailed for nine months.
Dublin Children's Court was told the injured party was using her phone when the youth (16) attempted to steal it. The victim suffered blows to the side of the head in the attack.
The woman put up a struggle and the boy went away but returned minutes later and again tried steal the phone. She was hit during the struggle and after the incident was afraid to use her phone in public.
The youth had separately been caught in possession of a screwdriver, tampering with a car.
The teenager had pleaded guilty to attempting to steal the phone and two other charges for interfering with the mechanism of a vehicle and possession of articles with intent to commit a crime.
He had 12 previous convictions for joyriding and public order offences.
Rejecting pleas for leniency, Judge Geoffrey Browne said that he had to protect the public and gave sentenced the boy to nine months detention in St Patrick's Instution.