Teen accused of beating, kicking and dragging man by feet along Dublin street

Tom Tuite

A youth accused of dragging a man down a street in the centre of Dublin and repeatedly attacking him has been sent forward for trial.

The victim, a middle-aged man, was on his way to work when he first encountered the 17-year-old boy at Liffey Street at around 7am on July 24th.

The Dublin Children's Court heard the teenager "threatened to stab the man if he didn't give him money".

Garda Craig White said the boy followed the victim onto Middle Abbey Street Upper and stopped him.

Video evidence showed the man approached by another male not known to him.

The injured party was hit and tried to go around the attacker but was blocked and "punched to the ground". He got up, received more punches and was knocked down again.

After standing up, the mugger brought him to the Spar shop beside the Jervis Street Luas stop. The man was punched and knocked down at the store entrance, but the attacker dragged him out by his feet. He suffered several more blows, including repeated kicks, while a member of the public tried to intervene.

The teenager was caught nearby with the man's backpack and Nintendo Switch.

The victim required 20 stitches to his upper lip. Garda White agreed with defence counsel Doireann McDonagh that the accused was intoxicated.

The teen, who cannot be named because he is a minor, appeared before Judge Paul Kelly for a preliminary hearing to decide his trial venue. He has been charged with robbery.

After hearing an outline of the evidence from the investigating garda, the defence submissions and watching CCTV evidence, Judge Kelly held that the case should be dealt with in the Circuit Court, which has broader sentencing powers.

The court heard he is back in education and preparing for the Leaving Certificate.

But Judge Kelly refused jurisdiction, saying it was a "truly shocking" and sustained incident.

The boy, who is on bail, was with a book of evidence and sent forward for trial to the higher court, where he will face his next hearing on April 18th.