15-year-old accused of stamping on man’s head in unprovoked Derry assault remanded in custody

The 15-year-old appeared charged with attempted grievous bodily harm on a man on July 2.

The court heard CCTV operators alerted police to an assault in the city centre.

They reported that two males, one of them the youth, kicked another man on the ground in an unprovoked assault.

The 15-year-old was said to have been seen 'jumping' on the man's head and then kicking his head so hard it hit off a wall behind him.

When arrested the youth made a no comment interview and a police officer said he showed 'no remorse'.

Bail was opposed as the youth had 12 previous convictions and the officer said this offence could have been much more serious.

She added that the youth was recently added to a list of ‘top offenders’ in Derry.

The court was told that police did not believe the youth could be managed by any conditions.

Defence counsel Sean Doherty said the youth could be released to an address approved by Social Services.

He accepted the charges were very serious.

District Judge Oonagh Mullan said that this assault could well have resulted in a fatality.

She said it was 'absolutely shocking' to hear about someone stomping on another person's head.

She said while it was unusual not to grant bail to a youth in this case she was refusing bail.

He was remanded in custody to appear again on July 31.