This article is from page 21 of the 2013-04-16 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 21 JPG
A TEENAGER felt afraid of a “Fagin” type character in Ennis when he committed a number of crimes in the town last year, a court has heard.
The 16 year-old pleaded guilty at Ennis District Court on Wednesday to multiple offences committed be tween July and December 2012.
The teenager was one of two people who stole a car from Castlewood Park, Ennis on July 31 (2012).
On August 31, the teenager was seen by gardaí driving the car.
Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that gardaí activated lights on the patrol car and indicated for the driver to stop.
Insp Kennedy said the car kept going before flipping and crashing just outside Ennis.
The court heard that the boy was thrown 15 feet from the car. He was transferred to hospital and his injuries later required him to wear a back brace for a period of six months.
The teenager pleaded guilty to trespassing on a farmhouse in Lemenagh, Kilfenora, on October 21 (2012) and theft of items from a house in the Lifford area of Ennis, also in October
He also pleaded guilty to his role in burglaries at houses in Westwood, Ennis, on dates unknown between December 25 and 26 and at Showgrounds View, Ennis, on dates unknown between December 26 and 27.
Defence solicitor John Casey said the boy had started hanging around with a bad crowd and had been in “freefall” when the burglaries occurred.
Mr Casey told the court there is a “Fagin” type figure in the background of some of these offences who his client is afraid of.
He said this person would give young people a lend of money or a “small bit of cannabis”.
Mr Casey explained, “No matter how much you try to pay it back, you can never pay it off. You work for it and you never get out of his debt.”
The court heard the boy had refused to identify the person to gardaí.
Mr Casey said his client is a “likeable young enough young lad”. He added, “Initially he was hanging out with the bad company but now he is the bad company.”
Judge Patrick Durcan said the teenager “gives the impression of being a lovely young lad” who had “fallen into bad, bad ways”.
He added, “I do not see a bad lad. I see a lad who is misled.” However he said a period in detention was required to “break the connection with bad company.”
The boy was remanded in detention for a full assessment.