*Ennis Courthouse.
A 16-year old Clare boy has appeared in connection with an alleged broad daylight knife attack that inflicted head-wounds on another male which required 80 stitches, a children’s court heard today.
At the Children’s Court in Ennis today, Garda Bríon Dolan told the court that the mother of the 16 year old drove her son to the scene of the alleged knife assault on June 13th last in a West Clare town.
CCTV footage of the alleged assault showed the 16 year old getting out of his mother’s car armed with a large kitchen knife and the broad-daylight knife assault on the male took place moments later.
Judge Alec Gabbett said that the alleged injured party has suffered “very serious lacerations to his face” where he sustained a wound from the top of his head, running down his hairline on his forehead across to his ear.
After viewing photos of the injuries, Judge Gabbett said, “You will see that the alleged injured party had upwards of 80 stitches with a view to putting back his forehead together again and also fixing his ear”.
Judge Gabbett said that the boy will be left “with a significant scar wound for the rest of his life”. Judge Gabbett said that the boy also sustained two puncture stab wounds to his back.
In the case, the 16-year old boy is charged with assault causing harm of the male at a street in the West Clare town contrary to Section 3 of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act on June 13th last.
The 16-year old is also charged with producing a large kitchen knife during the course of a dispute at the same location on the same date contrary to Section 11 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act.
Sgt John Burke told Judge Gabbett that there is the possibility of a more serious assault charge being brought against the teenager concerning the alleged knife assault.
Giving the background to the incident, Garda Dolan said that there was an argument between two 14 year olds outside a retailer in the West Clare town on June 13th last.
He said that one of the 14-year olds was a younger brother of the accused.
Garda Dolan said that the accused arrived at the scene in his mother’s car looking for his younger brother and couldn’t find him.
He said that soon after at a junction in the town, the accused exited the car being driven by his mother.
Garda Dolan said that statements provided to Gardaí alleged that the accused made a bee-line for the alleged injured party with a large knife in his possession and held it in a threatening manner.
Garda Dolan said that as the accused went towards the alleged injured party he brushed past the alleged injured party’s girlfriend and he is facing a separate assault concerning that.
Garda Dolan then played to the court the CCTV evidence showing the alleged assault. Garda Dolan also handed in photographs of the boy’s injuries on the day of the alleged assault and photographs taken two days later.
Garda Dolan also handed into court a medical report on the injuries sustained by the alleged injured party.
After hearing an outline of the facts, Judge Gabbett said that the case is “too serious” for the District Court and has directed that the 16 year old go before Ennis Circuit Court which will involve a Book of Evidence to be drawn up.
Sgt Burke said that the DPP has also directed that the case go before the Circuit Court.
Solicitor, Monica Roche for the accused said that on the day and the prior to the assault the alleged injured party had attacked the younger 14 year old brother of the accused.
Judge Gabbett remanded the 16-year old on continuing detention to Oberstown Detention facility for young persons in Dublin to appear before Ennis Children’s Court via video-link next Wednesday.
