Letterkenny teen faces assault causing harm charge

A Letterkenny teenager who is in custody in a youth detention centre has been charged with assault causing harm.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons due to his age (17) was brought from Oberstown Children Detention Campus in Dublin, where he is currently in custody on other charges, to Letterkenny District Court on Monday.

Garda Cathal Feely gave evidence of further charging the teenager at 12.16pm on Monday at Letterkenny courthouse.

He is charged with assault causing harm at Railway Apartments, Pearse Road, Letterkenny, in June, 2022. The offence is contrary to Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997.

The boy was charged in the presence of his mother.

When charged, he told Gardai: “It wasn't me. I didn't do it. I don't care.”

Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed that the matter proceed by indictment to the Circuit Court.

Solicitor for the boy, Mr Rory O'Brien, said he would be making a Section 75 application.

This allows the Court to deal summarily with a child charged with any indictable offence, other than an offence which is required to be tried by the Central Criminal Court or manslaughter.

Mr O'Brien told the court that he would also be making a bail application on behalf of his client.

The juvenile was remanded by Judge Deirdre Gearty to appear by video link on Monday next, February 27, from the Oberstown Children Detention Campus.