Teenager facing trial over alleged mugging is moved to special care unit

A 14-year-old boy facing trial over an alleged mugging is moving to a special care unit after he took a cocktail of drugs and “drank himself to oblivion”, a court has heard.

The teenager, who is in care, is facing charges of robbery from a male of a mobile phone and producing a wooden pole as a weapon during an alleged incident in north Dublin last May.

He was due to appear at the Dublin Children’s Court on Monday but Judge John O’Connor noted that the boy could not attend because he had been recently moved to a different care home.

A social care worker told Judge O’Connor that in the past month there have been “16 significant events related to damaging property, assaulting persons, and alcohol and substance misuse”.

The court heard that the youngster has been abusing cannabis and Zimovane tablets. The care worker also said the boy has admitted he has taken cocaine and that in recent days he had “drank himself to oblivion” on vodka.

The teenager "cannot self-regulate whatsoever", and the Child and Family Agency are looking to put him into a special care facility.

Psychological assessments are also to be carried out, the judge was also told.

Judge O’Connor agreed to defence solicitor Gareth Noble’s request for a four-week adjournment.