A teenage boy has been charged in connection with the alleged assault of a man outside the 3Arena in Dublin in January.
The man, who is in his early 20s and from Co Laois, suffered serious injuries during the incident, reports RTE.
Two males were arrested earlier this week as part of the investigation into the alleged assault.
A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be identified because he is a minor, appeared before Judge Paul Kelly at Dublin Children’s Court charged with assault causing harm to the man at North Wall Quay on 30 January, reports RTE.
He is also accused of engaging in violent disorder by using or threatening violence alongside a co-accused during the same alleged incident.
The teenager has not yet entered a plea and attended the hearing accompanied by his social worker and staff from his Tusla-provided accommodation, reports RTE.
Garda Andrew Seaman told the court the boy “made no reply” when the charges were put to him. No details about the alleged assault were presented in court.
He confirmed there were no objections to bail, provided the teenager followed conditions already discussed with defence solicitor Holly Laher, reports RTE.
Judge Kelly ordered that the boy must have no contact with either the co-accused or the injured party by any means, must stay out of Dublin 1 and Dublin 2, surrender his passport, and inform authorities of any change to his address or phone number.
The teenager was also warned that he must observe a curfew between 11pm and 6am, reports RTE.
The investigating officer also requested that the boy be required to sign on daily at his local garda station. When the judge asked for the reason, he explained that although the teenager had a mobile phone, there were concerns that he could be “hard to locate”.
Judge Kelly said he did not believe it would be very beneficial for the boy to attend the station every day where adults would also be present, reports RTE.
Staff from the boy’s accommodation told the court that signing on regularly might help him develop a routine.
Ms Laher suggested reducing the reporting requirement to three days a week, which the judge accepted, reports RTE.
Judge Kelly also told the boy he must remain reachable at all times.
Garda Seaman said the investigation is continuing, but more time is needed for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions, reports RTE.
Judge Kelly directed that the teenager return to court in six weeks.
He also noted that reports before the court suggested the boy had previously shown limited engagement with services aimed at helping him, reports RTE.
The teenager’s solicitor said her client is now willing to engage with support services, adding that the case had a “sobering effect on him” and that “he wanted to make a plan in place for his life”.
She said he had experienced a change in perspective, which the boy confirmed by responding “Yes”, reports RTE.
“I am, yes,” he continued when Judge Kelly asked if he would cooperate with the services going forward.
The judge also noted that the teenager is currently living in accommodation in Dublin but had previously been placed in several other locations, and a report indicated that he had been “bouncing around different places”, reports RTE.
Judge Kelly said the boy would remain at his current placement “depending on his behaviour”.
The co-accused in the case appeared separately before the district court, reports RTE.
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