A 14-year-old boy showed no remorse for allegedly taking part in a firebomb attack that destroyed an innocent family’s home in Dublin and killed their pet husky trapped in the blaze, a court heard.
The teenager, charged with arson of the house on Landen Road, Ballyfermot, which was left gutted on May 21st, was denied bail on Saturday.
He was remanded to the Oberstown Children Detention Campus after appearing before Judge Maire Conneely at Dublin District Court.
The boy, who cannot be named because he is a juvenile with the right to anonymity, made no reply when charged in advance of his court appearance after he was deemed unsuitable for inclusion in the Garda Youth Diversion Programme.
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Objecting to bail due to the seriousness of the case, Garda Alan McGinty recounted that at 2.28am, gardaí responded to a report of a domestic fire at the home.
They learned that one resident was asleep in the livingroom, but he woke to the sound of glass smashing and found the room was on fire.
The man’s wife, son and their dog were in the property at the time. The family got out but the pet husky “was still trapped inside and died in the fire”.
The court heard the innocent family’s home was “totally” destroyed in the attack, after which a witness overheard a male yell “wrong house”.
Evidence was given that two males in balaclavas arrived at the house on an electric bicycle, and the defendant was allegedly the driver, while his passenger carried and threw the burning petrol can.
Images of the scene were handed over to the court, which also heard there was CCTV footage, but the judge held it was unnecessary to view the video.
She noted allegations that a jerrycan of petrol was bought at a service station three hours before the incident before being brought to and hidden in bushes at a building in the Dolphin’s Barn area.
It was alleged that shortly before 2:30am, two males arrived in a taxi, put on balaclavas and travelled to Landen Road on an electric bicycle.
Garda McGinty alleged that they could be tracked on CCTV and, after the arson, they returned to the Dolphin’s Barn area and handed the electric bicycle back to another person.
It was alleged that the boy and another male went away in a taxi and the vehicle’s dashcam footage has been retrieved, leading to his identification.
The jacket he allegedly wore in the taxi was found during a search of his home.
Garda McGinty stated that during the interview, the teenager, who has no prior criminal convictions, showed no remorse.
The boy, supported in court by his mother and other family members, sat silently at the side of the courtroom and has not yet indicated a plea.
The judge noted that no bail terms would alleviate the concerns of the investigation team.
A decision has yet to be made on his trial venue but defence barrister Kevin McCrave submitted it was likely the case would go to the Circuit Court, which has greater sentencing powers.
He submitted that refusal of bail would mean he could be held for a year before his trial and disrupt his education.
He urged the judge to note that the teenager would abide by a myriad of strict conditions available to the court.
Referencing the Children’s Act, he cited the law, which sets out that detention should be a last resort.
He stressed the teen had the presumption of innocence, no prior convictions, history of drug abuse or failing to appear in court and there was no witness intimidation evidence.
Judge Conneely held, however, that the garda had established a case for refusing bail and remanded the boy in custody to appear at the Children’s Court on Wednesday.
