A teenager warned a garda that he would "smash his face in" during a public order disturbance driven by "bravado", a court heard.

Christopher Brennan (18) became belligerent when officers asked him to move on.

He was "at a loose end" at the time of the incident, a garda said.

Judge Bryan Smyth adjourned the case against him at Dublin District Court.

Brennan, pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour with intent to cause a breach of the peace.

The court heard the incident happened on Railway Street, Dublin 1, on January 25.

Gardai were on duty at 5.30pm when they saw the accused with a group of other youths leaning against a car.

The officers approached and asked them to move on.

Brennan became "highly aggressive and abusive and made numerous threats".

He told a garda: "Get the f*** away from me, you f***ing d***head. I'll kick your head in, you scumbag. I'll smash your face in."

Regret

The defendant was arrested and taken to Store Street Garda Station, where he was charged.

Defence solicitor Stephen O'Mahony said the incident had started out as a "fairly simple" encounter between the defendant and the gardai.

Brennan and the other youths had been leaning against a car "belonging to a person unknown" when the officers spoke to them.

"There was an element of youth and belligerence that led to this reaction," he said. "He does regret his actions."

The accused was "at a bit of a loose end" and there was a "bit of bravado" on the day, Mr O'Mahony told the court.

"He's lacking a little bit of direction in relation to a career," he added.

The defendant - with an address at Gardiner Street Flats in the north inner city - had turned 18 less than a month before the incident.

"He would like to get some work for the summer," said the lawyer.

"Does he want to get a job or does he want to hang around?" Judge Smyth asked.

"Ultimately, yes," Mr O'Mahony said in relation to Brennan's intentions to secure employment.

"That sounds just a little bit out in the future," Judge Smyth said.

"It sounds like he doesn't have any grand plan in place."