A TEENAGER HAS been charged over a serious attack in which a young woman’s face was slashed in Dublin city-centre. The teen was 17 at the time of the alleged incident.

The teenager appeared before Judge Conal Gibbons at the Dublin Children’s Court today charged with causing serious harm, contrary to Section Four of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, to the 18-year-old woman and robbing her of a phone worth €500, at Golden Lane, on 14 August last.

The young woman was seriously injured and hospitalised following the incident.

Garda Cathal Kelly told Judge Gibbons the girl made no reply when she was charged on December 23.

The Director of Public Prosecutions had recommended she should face trial in the circuit court, which has can impose lengthier sentences, he said.

Garda Kelly said this was “due to the seriousness of the offence”. He said there were three medical reports available.

The Children’s Court has discretion to accept jurisdiction in serious cases by considering the age and level of maturity of a child defendant. This is provided for under Section 75 of the Children Act.

The defence asked the judge to accept jurisdiction.

However, Judge Gibbons noted that since being charged shortly before Christmas, the girl, had turned 18 and was no longer a minor.

The provisions of Section 75 of the Children Act did not apply now, he said. He said the recommendation was effectively now a direction.

He cited a High Court ruling which has addressed this issue but told the teen’s solicitor Andrew Broderick he might want to consider how that decision impacted on this case.

The case was adjourned for four weeks.

The out-of-work teen, who was accompanied to court by her mother, was remanded on bail. She has not yet indicated how she will plead. Legal aid was granted.

Garda Kelly handed over disclosure of prosecution evidence to her solicitor; it included CCTV, Garda custody records and memos of interviews.

A 20-year-old man was charged in August in connection with the incident.