Teenage (14) girl remanded on bail

THE 14-year-old girl who had been held in custody in Oberstown (Children Detention Campus) for a number of days was back before the children’s court in Portlaoise last week.

At the last hearing, gardaí had objected to bail being granted after they alleged the child had breached conditions of her bail on 15 occasions from 1-25 May.

Garda Sgt JJ Kirby said that the charges against the child before the court are to be dealt with by summary disposal (district court level).

She is charged with assault causing harm on 17 January last year at Fitzmaurice Place, Portlaoise; assault causing harm at Park View, Portlaoise on 8 April this year; theft of Red Bull and sandwiches to the value of €65.80 from Downey’s Centra. Dublin Road on 14 April; and to the theft of €80 worth of vapes from Cloud Treats, Market Square, Portlaoise on 25 April.

Sgt Kirby said that the garda case management officer supporting the girl, Sinead Maher, had received a phone call from the young girl on 4 June informing her that she would be late retuning to the care home she was staying in, that the train she was on was delayed.

He said a curfew had been in place to require her to be in the care home before 8pm and that the call came to Garda Maher at 8.53pm.

The girl’s solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said that her young client was asking permission for her curfew hours to be extended, that “she doesn’t want to go back to Oberstown.” “Where was she on Saturday (4 June),” Judge Susan Fay asked?

The girl replied: “I was in Limerick with two adults. They were picking up a buggy.” Judge Fay noted that the girl’s social worker had previously given evidence that, in her professional opinion, the 8pm curfew was not workable.

Garda Sgt Jason Hughes said it was agreed to extend the girl’s daily curfew from 8pm to 10pm.

Ms Fitzpatrick said that due to recent publicity on the details of the case in the local media, her client was identified to some people locally in her area because so few young girls of that age are in local care homes.

She asked Judge Fay to ensure that “great care be taken that she is not identified in any way and that she shouldn’t be identifiable. It was also reported that her father was not a feature in her life. The sad fact of the matter is that he, sadly, passed away (a number) of months ago. It was also reported on that her mother was a heroin addict. But she hasn’t been addicted to heroin in the past year and is in recovery. She is not a heroin addict.” Judge Fay reminded court reporters that under section 252 of the Children Act, 2001 that it is a criminal offence to publish, broadcast or share any information, such as a name, address, school or picture that is likely to identify a minor who is the subject of or a witness in court proceedings.

At the previous hearing in the case, the court was told that the care home was being run by a private agency and there were no extra facilities there and that the child had to sleep on a mattress and had no TV in her room.

Remanding the girl on continuing bail to the 22 June sitting of the court to consider jurisdiction on the charges, Judge Fay advised her: “I’m relying on you to obey the (bail) conditions.” Before the case was adjourned for the day, Judge Fay was informed that since the last hearing of the case, the child has been supplied with a bed and a TV.

Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme.