THERE was no benefit in detaining a 15-year-old boy who beat a man across his head and face with a garden rake during a gang attack in Dublin, a judge said yesterday.
The boy, a first-time offender, pleaded guilty at the Children’s Court to assault causing harm to the man, who is in his 30s, during an unprovoked attack on the South Circular Road, Dublin, on June 17th last year.
He was 14 when he instigated the attack on the man, originally from Pakistan, who was left distraught but later called for clemency for his young attacker.
While he did not want to be involved in any restorative justice meetings with the boy, he had informed the court that he wanted the teen to learn his lesson and not get into too much trouble.
Judge Ann Ryan said yesterday that she was adjourning the case until a date in November for sentencing. She sought a probation report on the boy’s suitability to do restorative work with his probation officer.
She told the boy, who apologised again yesterday for his actions, that this could include a letter to the man expressing the remorse he had shown in court. She said he had no prior criminal convictions, and she did not think imposing a custodial sentence would be of any benefit to him or to the victim.
Defence solicitor John Quinn said the boy, who has not come to further Garda attention and was accompanied to his hearing by his father, was willing to co-operate.
Garda Mark Bolger had told the court earlier that the man had been going home from work when the boy and three other teens approached him. The boy “was carrying a garden rake, which he used to strike this man in the face”.
Garda Bolger added that the man was beaten about his face and head by the boy and the three other youths. He described the attack as “totally unprovoked”.
Another 15-year-old boy, who beat the man with a metal pole, is also to be sentenced in November.