Teen accused of attacking US tourist broke bail conditions 14 times last month

Dublin Children's Court heard on Tuesday that the 16-year-old boy had disobeyed his conditions 14 times since the end of April.

Garda Sergeant Niall Godfrey told the court there had been six curfew breaches and the boy had been seen on eight occasions loitering in three streets, including once on Talbot Street, including the court had barred him from entering.

Defense lawyer Doireann McDonagh said the latest violations were accepted. At the start of the procedure, he was placed in pre-trial detention.

The lawyer said the teen had not faced new charges and revoking his bail could result in a lengthy period of pretrial detention while awaiting trial.

The court heard he had completed an educational placement and was taking part in a community youth programme.

His lawyer pleaded with the court to give him another chance to prove himself and note that the boy's mental health had been affected.

“I promise you, judge, I will get better. I will not violate the bail conditions. I will listen to everything you have said,” the boy told the court.

In the presence of his parents and two other relatives, Judge Kelly told the boy he had “one last chance” and that bail would be canceled if there was another offence.

He and his co-defendants were ordered to appear again in June to be served with books of evidence, which the State said were 85 percent complete.

The 15-year-old boy was given a similar warning that he could sit his Junior Cert exams in a detention center after it emerged he had broken his curfew six times in recent months.

He has also previously been taken into custody for non-compliance.

The third and eldest boy, who never had problems with his bail conditions, was granted a relaxation, allowing him to return to a north inner-city neighborhood.

Mr Termini, an artist and musician, was injured in an incident on the corner of Store Street and Talbot Street in the north city center on the night of July 19, 2023.

Previously, the Children's Court judge declined jurisdiction to hear the case and agreed with the Director of Public Prosecutions that it should be dealt with at a higher level with broader sentencing powers.

Garda Sergeant Godfrey had told a preliminary hearing that medical reports indicated the injuries “created a substantial risk of death”.

Specialists found that Mr Termini suffered five life-threatening injuries to his right eye, a brain hemorrhage, head trauma, a skull fracture, head trauma and also a cheek fractured.

He remained on a ventilator for two days and in the intensive care unit for two weeks before being returned to the Mater for further rehabilitation treatment until the end of August.