Boy gets bail after saying he was beaten

A judge yesterday overruled Garda objections and granted bail to a 16-year-old boy charged with dangerous driving causing the death of two Co Clare teenagers last October.

Last Friday, at Ennis District Court, the boy was charged with dangerous driving causing the death of friends and neighbours, Stacey Haugh (16) and Lorna O'Mahoney (13) at Moyarta, Carrigaholt, on October 17th last year. The boy is also charged with driving without insurance and a driving licence on the same date.

At last Friday's sitting, Judge Joseph Mangan had remanded the boy in custody to St Patrick's Institution after being told that he had breached his bail conditions by absconding from his residential home operated by the Western Health Board in Galway for six days earlier this month.

However, at Kilrush District Court yesterday, the boy pleaded with the judge to grant him bail after telling the court that he had been assaulted on three separate occasions since being remanded to St Patrick's last Friday.

Outlining his injuries, the boy told the court he had a swollen face, a chipped tooth, a damaged nose and sore ribs as a result of the assaults. He said: "It is not very strict there. I have never seen anything like that place, your honour."

The boy told the judge he made a complaint to the governor of St Patrick's after the first assault and a boy was disciplined. However, friends of this boy carried out further assaults on the accused.

The boy told the court yesterday that he was afraid to make any further complaints. However, Insp Tom Kennedy objected to bail. He said the Book of Evidence would not be ready in the case for two to three months.

Both the mother of the accused and the mother of Lorna O'Mahoney were in court yesterday for the hearing.

Judge Mangan told the court that it was with the greatest reluctance that he was considering the bail application. He told the boy: "If there is the slightest breach of bail conditions, I will remand you to St Pat's."

Ms Anne McCormack, a health board official, told the court that the boy would be accompanied daily to his FÁS programme by a member of the staff at the Galway residential home where the boy will be staying.