Judge orders teenage defendant to be ‘court artist’

A teenage boy charged with breaching his bail conditions has been given one more chance by a judge in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, and ordered to become an unofficial court artist for three days. The 16-year-old, who lives in a children’s home, appeared before District Judge Barney McElholm in the magistrates’ court on Thursday.

The teenager, who had been bailed on charges related to public order offences, was arrested on Wednesday after he failed a police preliminary impairment test carried out to determine if he was under the influence of drugs. He admitted consuming cannabis before he was arrested. Applying for bail, his solicitor Ciaran McGuinness told Judge McElholm that the boy was bored, but that he also had an interest in art.



The judge said he would give the youth one more chance and granted him bail. He told the teenager to stop using cannabis and said that because of the youth's interest in art, he would impose an unusual bail condition on him. “You must attend this court on Friday and on next Monday and Tuesday for two hours,” he said. “You must bring with you a sketch pad and a pencil and you can draw me and the solicitors for two hours each day - only me and the solicitors - and I will review the matter on Wednesday of next week.”

Judge McElholm added: “If you look stoned, you will be arrested and remanded in immediate custody.” The youth was also ordered, as part of his bail conditions, to abide by the rules of the children's home, not to possess any bladed articles except during meal times, not to consume alcohol or drugs, and to observe a 7pm to 7am curfew. He is also to be electronically tagged during his bail period.