A THEN 13-year-old boy fractured a man’s skull and left him with a bleed on his brain following an assault on Dublin’s Grafton Street, a court has heard yesterday.

The boy, now aged 15, was charged with assault causing harm to the victim on 19 September 2014. He then appeared before Judge John O’Connor at the Dublin Children’s Court.

Garda Niall Kenny told the court the boy made no reply to the charge.

In an outline of the allegations, Garda Kenny said a group of friends made their way up Grafton Street and stopped outside a shop. A conversation started between a member of the group and a man. There was an altercation and fight started during which a blow was thrown from a co-accused at the victim who blocked the punch.

It was alleged the boy and another co-accused simultaneously punched the man in the face striking him on the nose, said Garda Kenny.

The court heard the man “fell and struck his head off the pavement” while the attackers dispersed. The man suffered a fractured skull and a bleed on his brain, Garda Kenny said as he furnished the court with medical reports.

The DPP had recommended that the teenager’s case could be dealt with at the juvenile court. However, Judge O’Connor deferred ruling on whether he would accept jurisdiction or send the case forward to the circuit court, which has tougher sentencing powers.

There was no objection to bail provided the south Dublin boy abides by a nightly curfew and signs on daily at his local garda station. He has surrendered his passport and must have a mobile phone so gardai can call him. He cannot have any contact with the injured party, the judge also ordered.

The case was adjourned for four weeks when there will be a ruling on his trial venue.

The defence can make submissions for the case to be kept in the jurisdiction of the juvenile court by asking the court to take into consideration the boy’s age and level of maturity as well other information deemed relevant to the proceedings.

The teenager, who has not yet entered a plea, was accompanied to court by his parents, spoke briefly to confirm he understood the bail terms. Legal aid was granted after the court heard his parents were not working.

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