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	A teenager has been sent forward for trial to the Circuit Court in Dublin accused of repeatedly biting a care worker during an incident at a children&#39;s home.</p>
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	The boy (17) is charged with assault causing harm to a male staff member, resisting arrest and criminal damage to fixtures and fittings at a care home in Dublin. He was served with a book of evidence at the Dublin Children&#39;s Court.</p>
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	Judge John O&#39;Connor made an order sending him forward for trial to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where he will face his next hearing on October 14</p>
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	Earlier it was held that the case was too serious for the Children&#39;s Court and should be dealt with at a higher level which has tougher sentencing powers.</p>
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	In an outline of the evidence, Garda Andrew Sheerin of Ballyfermot station told Judge John O&#39;Connor that there had been an incident in the care facility and the teenager had to be restrained by staff. The teenager bit one of the care workers four times.</p>
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	It was alleged that on the same date the teenager caused &euro;1,100 worth of damage to a mirror, a sink, a window and table at his care home.</p>
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	Gda Sheerin said that when he got to the home he went to the boy&#39;s room. The teen was lying on his bed and became aggressive to Gda Sheerin and made attempts to bite him, the court was also told.</p>
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	The defence made submissions under section 75 of the Children Act for the case to stay in the Children&#39;s Court. It can accept jurisdiction in serious cases following submissions in relation to the boy&#39;s age and level of maturity as well as other relevant factors.</p>
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	Defence barrister Damian McKeone had said the boy has been in full care since he was aged four. The teenager was accompanied the hearing by his mother and youth workers.</p>
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	At times he has been under supervision of his parents but has been moved around in care arrangements on numerous occasions.</p>
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	The teenager has been found to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder. He has also been suffering from &ldquo;reactive detachment disorder&rdquo; as a result of separation issues, counsel said.</p>
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	He also has substance abuse problems and has attended addiction counselling and he accepted he had an anger management problem.</p>
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	Judge O&#39;Connor said the youth was almost 18 and it was a serious case. He accepted that reactive detachment issues were serious but that cannot be used as an excuse for carrying out a serious assault.</p>
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	He refused jurisdiction.</p>
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	(Published by the Irish Independent on the 7th September 2016)</p>
<p>
	<a href="http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/teen-accused-of-repeatedly-biting-a-care-worker-during-childrens-home-attack-to-go-on-trial-35029798.html">http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/teen-accused-of-repeatedly-biting-a-care-worker-during-childrens-home-attack-to-go-on-trial-35029798.html</a></p>
