'The people of Virginia have the right to live in peace'
Cavan District Court Judge Raymond Finnegan has chastised four juveniles charged in relation to a serious public order incident in Virginia on Tuesday evening of that week 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.
When the four teens appeared in court for the first time last Thursday, they sat together in the custody dock, having been held in local garda stations since their arrests.
The custody matters were all dealt with in private because the four accused are all juveniles aged between 15 and 17 years and, as such, they cannot be named. Three of those arrested have addresses in Cavan, while a fourth teenager is from Co Monaghan.
Eleven members of An Garda Síochána attended the session including two inspectors, two sergeants and a detective.
The four male youths were charged with public order and assault charges.
One of them is facing four charges including producing an article (a knife) on Main Street, Virginia; assaulting two people at Ramor Lake and Main Street and the theft of alcohol from the town’s Tesco store on July 21 last.
At the first court apperance, the presiding judge remanded two of the boys in custody to Oberstown Children’s Detention Centre and released the other two on “stringent” bail conditions.
One of the investigating gardaí, Sgt Jim McDevitt, told Judge Finnegan that after officers review all CCTV footage more charges will likely be brought against some or all the teenagers.
In the case of one of the young men, Sgt McDevitt said there is a “100% chance of further charges”.
Time to reflect
The eldest of the four, a 17-year-old, was the first to be produced to Judge Raymond Finnegan. He was charged with using threatening or abusive words or behaviour on Main Street, Virginia, on July 21.
“These are very serious charges warranting a remand in custody,” Judge Finnegan told the youth who hung his head while the charge was 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, indicated her son would not be welcome at her home because she fears, if bailed to her address, 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.
“That’s okay, I’ll take him,” she replied, saying she didn’t want her son to go to prison.
Judge Finnegan said: “It’s no one’s fault but his own.”
However, at that stage, Sergeant Jim McDevitt stepped forward to object to bail on the basis that the defendant’s mother’s “attitude has just changed in the past 15 minutes”.
The judge then remanded the teen in custody until Tuesday of this week to give him and his mother “time to reflect”.
When he reappeared, the judge asked him what he thought of his weekend in the children’s detention centre. “Alright,” he replied.
Sgt McDevitt said he had spoken with the teenager’s mother who agreed to take him but she admits having no control over him.
“I’ve reviewed CCTV in relation to this,” Sgt McDevitt said, “and there’ll be a large number of further charges.”
When Judge Finnegan asked the youth if he had anything to say for himself he said: “Nahin.”
“Nahin, nothing? Is that the best you can say for yourself when applying for bail?”
“I don’t want bail” the young man told the judge.
Obliging him, the judge remanded the teenager back into custody to Oberstown until Friday, July 31, to appear in Cavan District Court by video link for DPP directions. The judge also ordered a psychological assessment of the defendant to “see what’s going on in this young man’s head”.
Stay out of Virginia
The second youth to stand before the judge last Thursday was also charged with using threatening or abusive language or behaviour on Main Street, Virginia and of assaulting a male in the same location on July 21. He is aged 16 years and was accompanied to court by a social worker.
Sergeant Damien Galligan said gardaí consented to bail on very stringent conditions including maintaining a curfew between 9pm and 7am, abstaining from drink and drugs, he must stay away from Virginia and Cootehill, and have no contact with the alleged injured party.
“The people of Virginia have a right to live in peace and quiet and not be subjected to the behaviour the whole world saw on a video,” Judge Finnegan continued.
“Any misbehaviour and non-compliance and you’ll be going to Oberstown and you’ll meet lads up there who’ll put manners on you.”
Remanding the youth on bail to appear before him on August 21 for D PP directions, Judge Finnegan told the youth to get himself a solicitor “because you absolutely need one”.
knife accused
The third defendant to be berated by the judge was charged with four offences including possession of an implement (knife), assault of a male at Ramor Lake, assault of a male at Deerpark Forest on the same day and stealing a Buzz Ball (alcohol beverage) from the town’s Tesco store.
He was told his charges are “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.”
“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.”
On noticing the defendant has a County Monaghan address, 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 this week to consider his application for bail.
When the case came back up yesterday (Tuesday),the young man admitted he did not like his time in Oberstown, the judge said sarcastically: “I put on your warrant that you were to get champagne, sergeant you need to address that oversight.”
The young man’s mother gave assurances that, if her son breaks bail conditions, she will contact the gardaí to bring him back before court.
She admitted she was “so ashamed” of her son.
Granting bail with strict conditions, Judge Finnegan told the youth that people in Virginia have right to enjoy a “calm, quiet life near their beautiful lake” without “blackguards like you wreaking havoc”.
He added: “You’re in effect under house arrest now.”
He was remanded on bail to Cavan District Court to reappear on August 21 with his co-accused for DPP directions.
The school of Oberstown
When the last and youngest of the group stood before Judge Finnegan last Thursday he confirmed he is currently on his school holidays. He was accompanied by his mother.
The 15-year-old is charged with using threatening words or behaviour on Main Street, Virginia on July 21 and of assaulting the same male as one of the other defendants at Ramor Lake on the same day.
Sgt Galligan said when the young man was arrested, he “made admissions”. The garda also said there was consent to bail and that officers are still going through CCTV footage from the area and further charges may yet be brought. “If you’re remanded in custody for the next eight or nine months what would happen school, then?” the judge asked the teenager.
“Sure, you’ll get school in Oberstown,” the judge told him; “You’ll get school and other things in Oberstown from lads who will not be cowed by you.”
Asking the boy and his mother if they understood the bail conditions set on his release Judge Finnegan told him: “There’ll be a guard outside your house at 9:05 every night and if I get a phonecall to come up here you’ll be going to Oberstown with your mate.”
The judge remanded the teen on bail until August 21 for DPP directions and to monitor his bail compliance. While two of the boys were taken back into custody, the other two left the courtroom on the promise their movements will be monitored by gardaí.
* This article was published with support from the Court Reporting Scheme