Kildare teenager trespassed in café, Naas District Court told

A teenage boy trespassed on the premises of a café in County Kildare.

Gardaí told Judge Desmond Zaidan about the offence during an in-camera (in private) sitting of Naas District Court on Thursday, February 15 last.

It was heard that the boy, who was accompanied to the court by his mother, had been part of a number of youths who were caught trespassing on the grounds of the café.

The identities of the other youths were not disclosed during the court session.

He was also being charged with being in possession of €20 worth of cannabis on a separate date in Kildare.

Defending solicitor David Powderly handed in a probation report to Judge Zaidan.

He said: "It is an excellent report. He has been very co-operative with the probation services, and he has been deemed to be at low-risk of reoffending.'"

Defending solicitor David Powderly. File pic.

Judge Zaidan asked the boy: "Have you stopped smoking weed?"

"It's on and off," the boy replied.

The judge then encouraged the boy to give up smoking cannabis: "The worst I can do is send you to jail... but eventually you'll be released. 

"If you get hooked on this stuff, or any other drug, you'll impose a life sentence on yourself."

He then asked the boy: "Would you say that you've reduced your (cannabis) intake by about 50 per cent?"

"Yes," the boy replied.

"OK, well, just give it up. Save your money and your health," the judge told him.

He also said that he would give the boy a chance, and added: "You're not a criminal, but I won'tbe there to keep an eye on you as an adult."

The judge also thanked the boy for his 'honesty.'

In addition, he warned the boy that if he continued to use drugs, he would run the risk of owing drug debts, and that criminals could turn up to his family home in order to intimidate him and his family into paying them money.

Judge Zaidan then applied the Probation Act on the boy's case.