Teen ordered to take part in restorative justice programme
A TEENAGER who was abusive to staff in a convenience store has been ordered by Tallaght Court to take part in a restorative justice programme where he will meet the manager of the store.
The teenagers solicitor, Padraig O’Donovan, told Judge Patricia McNamara that his client had just been engaging in “banter”.
The 17-year-old, who has an address in Tallaght, pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour at a convenience store in Tallaght on January 1, 2017.
Sergeant Michael Ahern told the court that at 7pm the garda had responded to a call that a group of youths were causing a disturbance in a convenience store in Tallaght.
He said the gardai arrived at the scene and observed the teenager being threatening and using abusive language to staff.
Judge McNamara asked Sgt Ahern if he could elaborate on the language used. Sgt Ahern said there was not a record of it in the precis.
Sgt Ahern said the teenager had no previous convictions.
Mr O’Donovan said it had just been “a bit of banter”.
Judge McNamara said that what may seem “banter” to some people may seem abusive to others.
She said she would like the teenager to engage in a restorative justice programme where he would meet with the manager and the staff of the store and apologise for his behaviour.
She adjourned the case for a month for a probation report and to finalise the case.
