A 16-year-old boy has appeared in court accused of producing two machete knives in an assault of another person in Tralee yesterday.

The teenager, who cannot be named by order of the court, was refused bail by Judge Catherine Ryan at Tralee District Court this morning.

In objecting to bail, gardaí warned the court of their belief that an escalation in violence connected to this alleged offending is increasingly likely.

The 16-year-old boy faces one charge of assaulting another male at the Tralee Community Training Centre in Monavalley Industrial Estate yesterday.

He is also accused of the possession of two machete knives at that time, while intending to unlawfully cause injury to another person, and he’s accused of producing these two machete knives during that alleged assault at Tralee Community Training Centre.

The teenager also faces a drugs charge, alleging he had cannabis in his possession in a Tralee housing estate on 18th July.

At Tralee District Court, his solicitor Pádraig O’Connell applied for bail.

Gardaí objected to bail for reasons including the seriousness of the alleged offending.

Detective Garda Michael Dowling told the court that there is a heightened sense of hostility between the accused and the alleged injured party, and an escalation in violence between them is increasingly likely if he was granted bail.

Detective Dowling said the fact this incident took place in a school/college setting with a large volume of people in the area is extremely worrying, with CCTV showing people fleeing the scene in fear.

He said the nature of this incident poses a real danger to the community at large, and to have this occur in such close proximity and in the full view of young adults and minors is inexcusable and cannot be tolerated.

Gardaí were also concerned the teenager would not turn up to court if granted bail.

Judge Ryan said the accused comes to court with the presumption of innocence, and it is a very last resort to refuse bail.

She said there were no bail conditions that could satisfy her to release the accused, and she remanded him in custody to Obertstown Children Detention Campus.

He will appear again in Tralee District Court via video link next week.

Judge Ryan highlighted that reporting restrictions are in place for media in court, but people on social media do not abide by these.

Solicitor Pádraig O’Connell told the court that social media is a curse.

She noted the boy may have issues to do with drugs and directed all appropriate medical treatment be given.

Judge Ryan told the teenager that it’s time to settle down and take the help that’s there.