Teenager on 40 charges causes no trouble on bail, Children’s Court in Cork hears

A 15-year-old facing a “shocking catalogue” of charges, who was released on bail despite Garda objections, has stayed out of trouble since his release last Thursday.

Judge Áine Clancy was told that the teenager had not come to the adverse attention of gardaí since the matter was before Cork District Court on March 6.

The judge remanded the youth on continuing bail until the Children’s Court in Cork on Friday.

Last week, when Judge Mary Dorgan was told of the amount of car-related charges against the teenager, she commented that he was “outstanding in his own field and it is not a good field”.

Judge Dorgan told him that she had spent four years presiding over the juvenile court in Cork and, in that time, she had never seen any young person on so many driving charges.

She said: “Fifteen years of age, now facing 40 separate matters.”

The judge added: “It is a shocking catalogue of very significant crime.”

The charges faced by the teenager span from July 2024 up to January 7 this year, and Garda Ross McCabe said they consist of the unauthorised taking of cars, causing criminal damage, and possession of a knife.

The latest charges relate to a range of different locations including Cork city, Crosshaven, Ballincollig, Wilton, Douglas, Frankfield, Bishops-town, and Gurranabraher.