This article is from page 17 of the 2006-07-10 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 17 JPG
A 14-YEAR-OLD boy who broke into several schools and cars in Ennis has pleaded guilty to 32 charges, over a two-month spell.
The boy, who cannot be named because of his age, faced a string of charges, including burglary, theft, criminal damage and public order. The damage amounted to more than €8,500, while €1,000 worth of goods was stolen in the incidents.
Detective Garda Kieran Kelleher told Ennis District Court that all of the incidents occurred within a period of two months and that the accused was not alone.
“There were others with him. He was showing bravado in front of his mates. The schools in the area were targeted as they are used as carparks,” said Det Gda Kelleher.
“It was more for the excitement . . . It came to a head, he got out of control,” he said.
Inspector Tom Kennedy said on one occasion, the boy told a neighbour to f*** off.
“He said he would rape his wife and his daughters and he would break all the windows of his house,” said the inspector.
He said the youth broke into Ennis Community College twice, and caused €1,500 damage on one occasion and €150 on the other. He targeted Ennis Boys’ National School on a number of occasions, where he broke windows.
He also admitted breaking the windows of Cloughleigh National School on January 2 last, causing €1,000 damage.
He broke into a prefab on the grounds of the Holy Family School on January 11 and took a teacher’s mobile phone.
He damaged classroom doors at Coláiste Mhuire in Ennis, in January, valued at €1,000 damage.
He also admitted breaking the windows of six cars parked at the Glór Irish Music Centre; four cars at the Holy Family School and two cars that were parked at Millstream Court.
The court heard that items were taken from some of the cars while nothing was taken from others.
The accused also admitted breaking into the home of one of his neighbours. He jumped onto the counter of Xtra Vision video store and took €50 from the cash register, before escaping, in February.
Judge Leo Malone adjourned the case for three weeks, to allow for updated reports from various institutions to be prepared. He remanded the boy to St Michael’s detention centre in Finglas.