A 17-YEAR-OLD boy, who was part of a group of youths that threatened to slice a commuter in a mugging in a Dublin city-centre alley, has been remanded on bail pending sentence.

The Dublin Children’s Court heard the man, who is in his early 40s, had got off a bus and was trying to catch the Luas as he was heading to work at about 6.50am on 9 May, 2019.

Garda Leanne Byrne said he made his way from Custom House Quay through Harbour Court to get to the stop on Lower Abbey Street.

He was approached in the alley by three males and “threatened with a Stanley blade”.

He was told to hand over his phone and “one male threatened to slice him,” the court heard.

The garda said the man feared for his life and fled.

The teen was arrested two days later after CCTV evidence was obtained, and he made full admissions.

The court heard he owned up to making a fist at the victim and was not the person with the blade.

The youth is the only one of the three to come before the courts, the judge was told.

The garda agreed with defence solicitor Brian Keenan that when questioned the boy had admitted the incident would have caused the trauma for the victim and made him afraid.

The solicitor submitted that the boy’s admissions shortly afterwards may have given some comfort to the victim.

The Director of Public Prosecutions had recommended that the youth, who is in care, should be tried in the circuit court which has tougher sentencing powers.

Keenan said there had been a delay in bringing the case close to his client’s 18th birthday. He would be dealt with as an adult if the case was sent to the higher court.

He was aged 15 at the time of the incident.

The youth was in care, had complex needs and was offering a guilty plea to the attempted robbery charge, the judge noted.

Noting his age, co-operation and that he had not been carrying the knife, she accepted jurisdiction for the case to remain in the Children’s Court.

The case was adjourned until July for a probation report to be prepared and for a victim impact statement to be furnished to the court.

The boy, who was accompanied to court by his social worker, will face other unrelated charges at his next hearing.

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