Man due in court on phone robbery charges

An 18-year-old male was due in court in Mullingar today (Friday) in connection with the robbery of two younger teenagers on the Retreat Road in Athlone on Wednesday afternoon. 

Sergeant Andrew Haran said the incident happened at approximately 4pm, a time when the Retreat Road is generally populated with students from the Our Lady's Bower, Athlone Community College and Marist College secondary schools. 

He said the incident involved a man robbing a 14-year-old and 15-year-old of their mobile phones.   

The 18-year-old was arrested yesterday and was due in court today on charges in connection with the incident.

In a separate incident, which occurred around the same time on Wednesday afternoon, a 14-year-old was assaulted during a burglary at a house in Valleycourt in the town. 

Sergeant Haran said two teenage males, one of whom had a knife, entered the property. A 14-year-old who was in the house, and was known to the intruders, was assaulted. 

A laptop and some items of clothing were stolen from the house but were later recovered. 

Sergeant Haran said that, following the break-in, the two males met up with two others and all four were soon arrested in the Valleycourt area by Gardai. 

One of the group - a 16-year-old male - was charged with assault, burglary, theft and the production of a knife, and he has been remanded in custody after appearing in court in Mullingar earlier today. 

The other three who were arrested on Wednesday have been released, and files are due to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).