A teenager was caught smoking a cannabis joint on the doorsteps of the Dublin Children's Court while he was waiting for his case to be heard, a judge was told yesterday.
Garda Ronan Hartnett told Judge Angela Ní Chondúin that as he was leaving the courthouse in Smithfield on December 20th he noticed the 17-year-old boy was standing outside smoking a cannabis joint.
Garda Hartnett said he then cautioned the teenager, who is from north Dublin, that he wanted to conduct a drug search.
After being told that he about to be searched, the teenager ran off and he was seen throwing the joint away. He was arrested on North King Street and taken to Mountjoy Garda station where he was charged.
The unemployed teenager had no previous convictions and was looking for a job. He had taken part in training courses and had found a job, but he was later made redundant, Judge Ní Chondúin was told. On the day of the incident he had been before the court over a separate offence for which he has not yet been sentenced.
Judge Ní Chondúin said the teenager "needs to get off streets and stop hanging around", adding that he must get a job. She ordered him to pay €70 to charity and adjourned the case to July 25th to see if the money has been paid.