A 17-YEAR-OLD boy, who became the first juvenile to face court charges with breaking the Covid-19 movement restriction laws, has been granted bail.

The teen was allegedly “travelling nationwide” and putting the public at risk, and was charged earlier with three counts of breaching the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act, 2020.

Members of his family have been infected with the coronavirus, the Dublin Children’s Court was told.

The breaches of the laws, aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus, are alleged to have occurred in Blanchardstown, Dublin on 25 April, in Clondalkin, Dublin on 28 April, and in Co Limerick on 27 April.

Since getting bail on 8 May he had repeatedly broken bail terms.

Bail was revoked on 21 May at the Dublin Children’s Court. However, the teenager subsequently made a successful application in the High Court and was released with conditions, including a ban on getting into motor vehicles.

He appeared again at the juvenile court and was ordered to come back in two weeks to enter a plea.

At his previous hearing, the court had heard the teen had 18 bench warrant for failing to turn up to court for other cases, from February 2017 until March this year.

The court heard the teenager’s family has been affected by the pandemic but the boy was driving around the country “posing a danger for everyone he is in contact with”.

“He is travelling nationwide in MPVs (mechanically propelled vehicles), causing risk to the public not only by travelling but by spreading covid,” a garda told the court.

He also 26 other charges of theft, cannabis possession and dangerous driving and other motoring offences such has having no licence or insurance. These offences are alleged to have happened between 12 March and 27 April this year.

Comments are closed as legal proceedings are ongoing.