Youth (15) on curfew wasn’t home when gardaí called

A 15-YEAR-old who failed a court-ordered drugs test was remanded at Oberstown Detention Campus pending the hearing of his case at Clonakilty District Court.

Sgt Paul Kelly outlined to Judge James McNulty at Skibbereen District Court on January 14th that the youth – who is not from Skibbereen and is facing a number of charges, including an alleged assault on another youth – was in breach of previously imposed bail conditions and had, in fact, ‘gone missing for four days.’

He said the youth did not sign on at Bandon Garda Station, as he agreed to do, and when the gardaí called to his home to check that he was abiding by his curfew, he wasn’t there.

The sergeant said the bail conditions that were imposed on November 28th last included a curfew between the hours of 9pm and 7am.

The accused was arrested and brought before Skibbereen Court, where the judge was told that the youth had not signed on at his local garda station for the previous 14 days. Although the conditions were amended to facilitate visits to family members over the Christmas period, the sergeant said the accused was not at home on the night of December 30th when the gardaí called.

The sergeant also gave evidence that the accused was seen out at night and did not return home until 5am on the morning of January 7th.

Solicitor defending, Ray Hennessy, asked that his client be released on bail, but Judge McNulty said that would be conditional on him passing a random drugs test.

The judge ordered an impromptu drugs test – which was administered at the local garda station – and when the accused failed it, the judge refused bail and remanded the youth to Oberstown Detention Campus until January 21st.

When the case was called on that date in Clonakilty the matter was held ‘in camera’ – meaning the press was excluded, so no details were outlined.

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