10 charges brought against teenager after March collision that injured Cork toddler
A teenager was arrested and charged with dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to a two-year-old boy last March. Sergeant Gearóid Davis said the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed trial on indictment in the case.
Garda Darren Reid objected to bail being granted to the 17-year-old who was remanded in detention to Oberstown this afternoon.
The case was adjourned until the juvenile sitting of Cork District Court on Friday with the accused in detention.
The seriousness of the alleged offence was the main grounds for the objection to bail. It was alleged that the child was hospitalised at Temple Street Children’s Hospital for seven weeks for treatment for a head injury following the incident on March 25 at a housing estate in Cork and that he was still getting ongoing medical treatment.
Ten charges were brought against the accused. The most serious is one of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm. Further charges relate to allegedly failing to remain at the scene and driving a defective vehicle.
Garda Reid said it was alleged that the defendant had passengers in the car parked in a housing estate and that he could be heard revving the vehicle loudly for about three minutes, attracting the attention of residents in surrounding houses.
When a third passenger got into the car he began to drive out of the estate at excessive speed, with witnesses hearing the sound of spinning tyres, it was alleged.
“Passengers were thrown about (in the car) and he struck a two-year-old toddler. He left the scene without stopping,” Garda Reid alleged.
One of the further charges was for having stolen property in the boot of the car.
Eddie Burke, defence solicitor, said the accused had not come to any adverse attention since this incident. “He has not been next or near a motor vehicle since this occurred,” Mr Burke said.
Judge Olann Kelleher refused bail and remanded the accused in detention until Friday.
The 10 charges include dangerous driving causing serious harm, driving a defective vehicle, having no insurance or licence, a number of charges relating to alleged failure to remain at scene or report an incident and possession of stolen property.
The defendant is not identified as he is a juvenile. The injured party is not identified because of provisions of the Children’s Act.
