A 16-YEAR-OLD boy charged with “gratuitous” attacks and robbery of English tourists in Dublin’s Temple Bar had bail revoked and was remanded in custody today.

A court heard he returned to the same area on Sunday afternoon but knocked over an elderly woman and injured a Garda inspector while evading officers who knew he had been banned from that part of the city.

The accused, who cannot be identified because he is a minor, was charged earlier with assault causing harm to two men and robbery of a third at Fownes Street on the night of 11 August.

Last week, a judge released him with a warning and specific condition to remain out of the entire Dublin 2 part of the city.

It was alleged one of the victims had his head “stamped on” when up to eight teenagers attacked his group.

The boy from north Dublin has been ordered to stay out of the area, obey a curfew and not contact any Temple Bar business premises staff.

He appeared at the Dublin Children’s Court today when Judge Alan Mitchell noted gardaí have to prepare a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions for directions to be obtained.

Garda Derek Brierton and the teen’s case manager, Garda Sergeant Tom Murphy, gave an update about the boy’s compliance with bail terms.

Murphy said the conditions were made because the incident was a gratuitous attack, but the teen broke the curfew once. He added that the teen was also spotted in Temple Bar “in disguise” while fans celebrated the Notre Dame-Navy American football game.

Brierton alleged the boy ran when he was observed near Fownes Street and “in the process of running knocked over an elderly lady” and then ran into a Garda inspector who suffered a dislocated shoulder and will be off work for six weeks.

The defence accepted he had been in Temple Bar; solicitor Luke Staines said the teen claimed he was taking a shortcut to a gym. However, the court heard he could have used another route.

Staines pleaded for the teen, accompanied to court by his father, to be given a “last chance saloon” chance to adhere to the order.

The boy did not address the court.

Judge Mitchell revoked bail and remanded the teen in custody to the Oberstown Children Detention Campus pending his next hearing on Friday.

Last week, a bail hearing was told the incident was “caught on excellent quality CCTV”; the victims were taken to hospital and have since returned to the UK.

Garda Ruth Finnegan alleged that one man’s necklace and wallet containing €30 were taken.

The court heard claims that the tourist was pulled and dragged down before being kicked on the ground by the accused while another person went through his pockets and took his property.

The second man received a punch in the face before being knocked to the ground, where he was allegedly “punched numerous times and kicked to the head”. He suffered swelling and bruising around his eye.

Finnegan told the court the third victim received a punch in the face and was knocked to the ground, where he had his “head stamped on, while he appeared unconscious”. He had a “large gash to the back of his head”.

A fourth man received multiple blows and was kicked twice in the face on the ground, but the teenage defendant was not charged with over that aspect of the incident. Temple Bar businesses had voiced concerns about gangs of youths, the court heard, “and that they could be threatened for providing CCTV to gardaí”.

A 17-year-old boy has connected charges before the Children’s Court and will face his next hearing in September, and an adult teenager is due before the District Court next month.