A Wexford court had heard that two teenagers broke into a priest’s house and robbed €5,000.
The youths were described as “totally out of control” by District
Judge Donnchadh O Buachalla.
He remanded the pair, aged 16 and 17, on
bail, telling them to do “meaningful chores” at home until he would see
them again.
They were making their first appearance in court but had previous
misdemeanours that had been dealt with under the juvenile liaison
scheme.
The youths had broken into the home of Tagoat parish priest Fr
Matthias Glynn (pictured) and took €5,000 in coins and small notes - the
proceeds of the Christmas church collection - and four bottles of
whiskey.
Two Gardaí apprehended the youths after investigating the
break-in at Fr Glynn’s house and found one of the accused with a sackful
of coins.
As bail conditions, the judge imposed a curfew on the pair from
7:00pm to 8:00am, said they must stay off alcohol and drugs and stay
away from a shop where their behaviour had given rise to complaints.
The mothers of the two youths also gave evidence, with one saying
that her son had done jobs around the house and the second reporting a
“tiny change” in her son’s behaviour.
“I know they are totally out of control – the place they should be is
in prison,” Judge O Buachalla remarked, as he remanded them on bail for
a further week.