Boy (15) accused of Carrick petrol bomb attack on police is put under night-time curfew

The prohibition was imposed on the 15-year-old defendant as he appeared at Belfast Youth Court on Friday on charges connected to the alleged attack.

The PSNI said officers were targeted while they dealt with an abandoned vehicle on Davys Street in the early hours of December 2.

Two petrol bombs were reportedly thrown towards them, although they caused no damage and no-one was injured during the incident.

The schoolboy defendant, who cannot be identified because of his age, faces a total of seven charges.

He is accused of possessing a petrol bomb in suspicious circumstances, and throwing a petrol bomb with intent to destroy or damage property or to cause injury to three PSNI constables and a sergeant.

The youth is further charged with disorderly behaviour at Davys Street in Carrickfergus and four counts of assault on police.

He was accompanied by a grandparent for his first court appearance.

An investigating PSNI officer said she could connect him to the charges.

Two other boys, aged 14 and 15, were arrested at the time but subsequently released pending further inquiries into the alleged attack.

No further details were disclosed during the brief hearing.

Granting bail to the defendant, Deputy District Judge Joe Rice commended his family for providing their support.

“They are serious allegations and obviously the conditions have to be very carefully adhered to,” he stressed.

Mr Rice imposed a night-time curfew and barred the accused from any association with one boy.

He also confirmed that the youth is to be barred from contact with the other suspect outside of school hours.

Adjourning the case to January 26, the judge told him: “Make sure you keep up your school attendance.”