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	A troubled teenage boy has pleaded guilty to damaging his family home after his upset mother got him prosecuted in an effort to get him help.</p>
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	The boy, who is in his mid-teens, was temporarily ordered to remain away from his family home, after he pleaded guilty at the Dublin Children&#39;s Court to a criminal damage charge.</p>
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	Judge John O&#39;Connor ordered the boy to reside with another relative and adjourned the case for a pre-sentence probation report to be obtained. He also ordered the Child and Family Agency to hold a family welfare conference.</p>
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	Judge O&#39;Connor said the teenager fell into a familiar category which involved cannabis abuse, an inappropriate peer group and dropping out of education.</p>
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	Garda Edward Walsh told Judge O&#39;Connor the boy&#39;s mother reported that her son had been damaging their home on numerous occasions over previous months.</p>
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	There was &ldquo;extensive damage&rdquo; to walls and doors, &ldquo;done by hand and by an instrument we have not identified yet,&rdquo; said Gda Walsh who agreed that the boy has no prior criminal convictions.</p>
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	Defence solicitor Michelle Finan said social services have already been involved with boy who had previously spent time in care.</p>
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	There had been difficulties in the family and the mother didn&#39;t take the decision lightly to have her son prosecuted. Ms Finan also said the boy is &ldquo;hurting over a lot of issues&rdquo; and another family member was willing to take him in.</p>
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	The teenager had completed the Junior Certificate but there were issues with his school and afterwards he enrolled onto a training course but &ldquo;ran out of steam&rdquo; and left, Ms Finan said.</p>
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	However, the boy wants to get back into the course, she added.</p>
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	His mother and another relative were in court for the hearing.</p>
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	The defence lawyer explained that the boy&#39;s parents had split up in recent years and &ldquo;he has taken it very hard to handle&rdquo;. He has not spoken to his father in a long time, the solicitor also said.</p>
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	&ldquo;It got so bad at home that his mother was not able to manage him. There were concerns over who he was hanging around with,&rdquo; the lawyer said, &ldquo;his mother is looking for help for him and for herself&rdquo;.</p>
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	Ms Finan said the teenager found it hard to handle his anger and at one point he was placed in care but later went missing and was staying in hostels in Dublin. &ldquo;His mother did not know where he was&rdquo;.</p>
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	He was also &ldquo;red-starred&rdquo; by the Garda juvenile liaison office meaning he is no longer eligible to being let off with a caution and must face court. The teen remains angry that his mother has had him prosecuted, the court heard.</p>
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	The judge was also told the boy has one other theft related charge before the courts and that it was suspected he has been using cannabis.</p>
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	The prosecuting garda also succeeded in getting a bail condition banning the teenager from hanging around with nine other youths.</p>
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	The boy spoke once during the case to clarify what people he has been barred from associating with and the judge explained the bail conditions to him.</p>
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	The teen was told that for the time being he will have to stay away from his mother&#39;s home. He must reside with another family member and obey a curfew at their address.</p>
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	The judge warned him bail would be revoked if the conditions were blatantly broken but he also explained that they could be relaxed at a later stage if there has been compliance with the court order.</p>
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	<a href="http://www.sundayworld.com/top-stories/crime-desk/courts/angry-teen-banned-from-his-own-home-by-judge-at-childrens-court">http://www.sundayworld.com/top-stories/crime-desk/courts/angry-teen-banned-from-his-own-home-by-judge-at-childrens-court</a></p>
