Fire starter (16) told to stay out of trouble

16-year-old fire starter told to stay out of trouble


A District Court judge told a 16-year-old boy who set fire to an apartment in Ballinrobe causing extensive damage to three other apartments, to stay out of trouble. The damage caused to the aparments, all four of which are bank-owned, is estimated at €81,000.
Speaking at last Thursday’s Westport Children’s Court sitting at Castlebar District Court, Judge Mary Devins told the teen, who cannot be named due to his age, that ‘no matter how angry you feel, don’t get into trouble’.
Solicitor Cathy McDarby said her client came across as ‘not a bad lad’ and was caring enough to step up and care for his younger siblings.
On reading the probation report, Judge Devins stated that it ‘shrieked to me that he desperately needs to be loved and cared for by his parents’.
Ms McDarby said the Probation Services had been looking out for the 16 year old, adding that her client does not want to get into trouble again.
Judge Devins said the youth had been ‘forced to be a carer’ for his mother and that it was he who needed to be cared for.
From the report, the judge noted that there were many positive points about the teen, including the fact he does not drink or take drugs.
Inspector Damien Flanagan said that there had been some issues with the teen in the past number of months, during which time he had been reported as a missing person and had received an anti-social behaviour order.
Judge Devins remanded the youth on continuing bail to June 12, 2014, and ordered that an up-to-date probation report be prepared for that date, and that a social worker be present at the court.
Concluding matters, the judge told the youth to ‘kick a fence’ if he gets angry rather than get into trouble.