Teenager robbed man at knifepoint
HSE LEFT YOUTH UNSUPERVISED
A TEENAGER the HSE left unsupervised in a Dundalk guesthouse stole the owner's chequebook and also robbed a man of his wallet at knifepoint, Dundalk Circuit Court heard.
The accused, who is now 20, but cannot be named for legal reasons as he was 16 at the time of the offences, admitted taking the chequebook from the B&B on the Dublin Road where he was staying between December 9th 2008 and January 20th 2009.
Judge Michael O'shea was told that the teenager had been placed there by the HSE, completely unsupervised, after having problems with his family, who are not originally from Dundalk.
One of the cheques was used to buy €850 worth of guitar and musical equipment from a Dundalk store on January 10th 2009. Eleven days later, a forged cheque was presented to the Permanent TSB in Dundalk which purported to have been signed by the B&B owner in the accused's name for €1,500.
When the teen was questioned about the cheque by staff, he initially claimed it was payment for plastering work he had done but when the manager was called, the youth ran out of the bank.
Five days later, on January 26th 2009, the teen threatened a man in Doolargy Avenue, Muirhevnamor with a knife and a pool cue and forced him to hand over his wallet.
The victim contacted a friend on his mobile and managed to follow the youth down Hoey's Lane. The victim's friends arrived in a car and one of the pals was threatened by the teenager with the knife, forcing him to retreat.
But the victim and his friends kept up the pursuit and followed the youth into the Mace shop on Hoey's Lane where they saw him dump the knife and get into a car outside.
Gardai arrested him a short time later.
The teen admitted all the offences during Garda interviews and apologised to everyone who had been affected by his actions. He also had €850 in court for compensation for the bank.
Barrister Lily Buckley said her client was 'an extremely intelligent young man who had immense potential', and was back studying for his Leaving Cert.
Judge O'shea said the evidence about the youth shows that he 'may have turned the corner for the betterment of himself and society' and while the case was 'marginal' he was going to give the teenager a chance.
He imposed sentences totalling two-and-a-half years but suspended it for three years.
