The teens allegedly followed the man onto two Dublin buses before mugging him


TWO 16-year-old boys followed an unsuspecting victim as he travelled on buses in Dublin before he was violently mugged and left for dead, a court has heard.

Dublin Children's Court has been told that the 52-year-old man, who had survived a stroke two years ago, had been on the number 16 bus, as were the pair of teenagers who are alleged to have followed him when he alighted at O'Connell Street.

He then got the number 46A bus for Booterstown and sat on a disabled passengers seat while it has been alleged the youths, who are from Romania, also took the same bus.

Det Garda Denis Sheahan told Judge John Lindsay that the subsequent incident happened at 11.50pm on April 8 last, after the 52-year-old man got off the 46A and was confronted at Booterstown Avenue, in south Dublin.

His briefcase containing documents and a USB memory stick were robbed and it was also alleged “he was struck to the left side of his head causing severe swelling and bruising”.

He “feared for his life during the course of the robbery” and Det Garda Sheahan said the alleged robbers “showed no regard for the condition of the injured party who was left lying on the ground”.

The man was hospitalised for two days and will have to undergo another operation as a result of his injuries.

The detective also told the court that the victim, was “physically disabled as a result of a stroke two years previously”.

The summary of the prosecution's evidence was given for the juvenile court to decide if it would hear the trial of one of the boys or instead transfer it to the Circuit Court, which has greater sentencing powers.

Defence barrister Damian McKeone pleaded with Judge Lindsay to let the city's Children's Court retain jurisdiction. He said that while his client looks mature, he was still a minor who spent a lot of his time begging since came here about two and a half years ago. He lacked paternal guidance, cannot read or write and speaks a little English.

Mr McKeone said it could be said his client was streetwise but that that did not equate with maturity. However, Judge Lindsay held that the case was too serious to be dealt with in the juvenile court.

Last month, Judge John O'Connor, then presiding, had also refused jurisdiction in relation to the co-accused and he had said the victim was “left, could have been dead”.

Today, Judge Lindsay ordered the pair to appear again at the juvenile court on August 19 while prosecutors prepare the book of evidence for the trial.

The boys, who face robbery charges, have been remanded in custody with consent to bail with strict terms. They were accompanied to court by family members, but have not yet indicated how they will plead to the charges.