'The people of Virginia have the right to live in peace and quiet' - Judge

Two teens remanded in custody on public order and assault charges

Cavan District Court Judge Raymond Finnegan has chastised four juveniles charged in relation to a serious public order incident in Virginia on Tuesday evening that resulted in three people being hospitalised and charges brought against a number of youths.

“There’ll be no Buzz Balls or access to knives up there [Oberstown Children's Detection Centre] and you could stay in custody until the next circuit court because of these serious charges," Judge Finnegan warned one of the young men as he refused bail and remanded him in custody.

“The people of Virginia have the right to live in peace and quiet," the judge told another.

Two of the four youths, who appeared at Cavan District Court this morning on a raft of public order and assault charges in connection with serious incidents at Ramor Lake and the centre of Virginia on Tuesday evening, were remanded in custody with the other two minors involved released on “stringent” bail conditions.

The four teens were brought to court from garda custody where they were held since their arrests on Tuesday evening. As all of them are juveniles, they cannot be named.

The courtroom was cleared of anyone not connected with the case while Judge Raymond Finnegan heard bail applications for the minors.

Eight women and a young man remained in the courtroom. Three of the women present were the mothers of some of the young defendants, another woman was a defendant’s social worker as he had no parent accompanying him to court.

Eleven gardaí including a detective and two inspectors were also in court for the custody matter.

In the case of two of the defendants Sergeant Jim McDevitt said gardaí were still viewing CCTV footage and gathering evidence of the incident and expected more charges to follow.

Four teenagers, three of whom had addresses in County Cavan and one in County Monaghan, appeared in the custody dock.

The first and youngest of the defendants was charged with engaging in threatening or abusive language or behaviour and assault.

“These are very serious charges warranting a remand in custody,” Judge Finnegan told the youth dressed in a black and grey fleece and who hung his head while the charges were read out.

Sergeant Damien Galligan said the State consented to bail on very stringent conditions, one of which included providing a suitable bail address.

The boy’s mother who stood beside her teenage son was asked if she understood his bail conditions because, the judge told her: “If he doesn’t comply, he’ll be going to prison.”

The mother indicated her son would not be welcome at her home as per his bail conditions.

The judge put the matter back telling the mother: “Well you need to know where he is .”

When the judge dealt with the case of the youth again, the boy’s mother told the judge her son has “friends in Cootehill” and she fears if he is bailed to her address that he would go back to his old ways.

“He has nowhere to live and until that can be satisfied he has to go to Oberstown,”Judge Finnegan told the woman.

When she indicated she didn’t want him to go to prison, Judge Finnegan said: “It’s no one’s fault but his own” and the mother said: “That’s OK, I’ll take him.”

However, at that stage, Sergeant Jim McDevitt stepped forward to object on the basis that the defendant’s mother’s “attitude has just changed in the past 15 mins”.

He moved an application to remand teen in custody until Tuesday to give him and his mother “time to reflect”.

“They are serious charges and there are more to come,” Sgt McDevitt stressed.

The judge then remanded the youth in custody to Oberstown until Tuesday when he will be brought back before Judge Finnegan in the district court to review bail.

Speaking to the youth’s mother Judge Finnegan said: “You seriously need to reflect because in 10 minutes he wasn’t welcome but as soon as custody was mentioned you changed your mind. I’m sure if he was told to sleep on your chimney for the next six months he would to stay out of Oberstown.”

The youth was then taken back into custody.

The second youth to answer charges in relation to the Virginia incident was accompanied by a social worker. Sgt Galligan said the state consented to bail under certain strict conditions.

Judge Finnegan asked defendant if he understood the conditions and, when he nodded in agreement, the judge chastised him: “The people of Virginia have the right to live in peace and quiet and be not subjected to the behaviour the whole world saw on a video the other night.

“Any misbehaviour and non-compliance and you’ll be going straight up Oberstown and you’ll meet lads up there who’ll put manners on you,” the judge warned him.

The youth was released on bail to appear at Cavan District Court on August 21 for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the matter and to monitor bail compliance.

“Whether you’re going into custody then will be up to you,” were the judge’s parting words to the youth.

More serious

The third male to answer charges from the incident in Virginia was told his charges “were even more serious and definitely warrant custody”.

Telling the young man he’s going to Oberstown, Judge Finnegan remarked: “There’ll be no Buzz Balls or access to knives up there and you could stay in custody until the next circuit court because of these serious charges.”

Sgt McDevitt interjected to tell the judge “there are four beds ready in Oberstown”.

“The people of Virginia would definitely thank me if you were off the streets,” the judge mused and turning to the boy’s mother remarked: “You must be very proud of him.”

“Given there’s a bed and the seriousness of the charges our application would be to remand him in custody,” Sgt Galligan said.

On noticing the defendant was from outside County Cavan, Judge Finnegan asked him what he was doing in Virginia on the day of the incident. The youth responded that he was just there for “a day out".

The judged remanded the third defendant in custody to Oberstown until Tuesday.

“When you spend a few days there, you might meet a few boys who might change your attitude to life,” the judge told him as he was taken into custody.

The fourth defendant appeared on a common assault charge.

Accompanied by his mother, the judge asked if she knew where her son was on July 21.

“Yes, he was going to the lake in Virginia to meet a friend.”

“Mmmm,” Judge Finnegan replied.

Sgt Galligan said it is alleged the young male was at Ramor Lake on Tuesday when he is alleged to be involved in a serious public order incident when another person was assaulted.

When arrested, Sgt Galligan said the young man made admissions.

He added that the investigation team are still going through CCTV footage and there is a “100% chance of further charges” against the youth.

Judge Finnegan opted to comply with the garda application to remand the youth on bail to appear in Cavan District Court on August 21 for DPP directions and to monitor bail compliance.

* This report was published with support from the Court Reporting Scheme.