Boy (16) charged with assault after alleged stabbing at Leaving Cert party

Tom Tuite

A teenage boy has been charged with assault after another teen was seriously injured in an alleged stabbing incident outside a Leaving Cert party in Dublin.

The incident occurred as more than 150 young people attended an exam results celebration at Vela nightclub in Liffey Valley at about 12.30am on September 3rd.

Emergency services were called to the scene and a male in his late teens was rushed to Connolly Hospital in a critical condition.

The accused (16), whose identity cannot be reported because he is a minor, appeared at the Dublin Children's Court on Monday in relation to the incident.

He is accused of assault causing harm in the Vela nightclub car park on September 3rd, contrary to section three of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

He was also charged with possessing a knife as a weapon six days later at another location in west Dublin.

There was no application for bail and he was remanded in custody to appear again next week pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

He has not yet indicated how he will plead, faceing the possibility of being charged with a more severe offence.

Detective Garda David Sheedy told Judge Brendan Toale that he arrested and charged the teenager on Sunday evening at Ronanstown Garda station in Dublin.

"In reply to charge after caution, he made no reply and was then handed true copies of each charge," Det Gda Sheedy told the court.

Escalating charges

Judge Toale asked if a responsible adult was present when the boy was charged, a legal requirement in juvenile cases, to which Det Gda Sheedy confirmed a peace commissioner was present.

Judge Toale also noted the boy's father and another relative accompanied him to court.

The boy remained silent during the hearing.

Defence counsel Doireann McDonagh told Judge Toale there was "no application for bail today", adding: "Obviously, we are reserving our position".

So far, the DPP has given the authorisation to charge the boy with the offences before the court. However, Det Gda Sheedy added that directions would be sought to "escalate" the case to section four of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, a charge for causing serious harm.

Gardaí are seeking further directions from the DPP, which could take at least four weeks, the court heard. Judge Toale noted the defence reserved their position on bail.

The first remand in custody cannot exceed seven days, so the judge ordered that the boy be held at the Oberstown detention centre until his next hearing on September 19th.

Legal aid was granted in the case.