Boy was ordered to strip by gardaí

A 15-YEAR-OLD boy who was ordered to strip and stand naked in front of gardaí in a garda station has been awarded €8,500 damages against the Minister for Justice.

Counsel for Stephen Brennan, now aged 17, of Whelan House, Ringsend, Dublin, said a garda had refused to allow the boy to keep his underpants on while another nicknamed him ‘Tubby’ after the boy had taken them off.

When he tried to cover himself he was told by one of the gardaí not to do so

The Circuit Court President, Mr Justice Esmond Smyth, was told the boy had been with a group of friends near his home on January 30, 2001, when a garda car drove up.

After his friends ran off a garda pushed him into the squad car. He was brought to Irishtown Garda Station and ordered to undress. His parents had been told he had been arrested for loitering.

John Nolan, counsel for Stephen Brennan, said that while a full defence had been entered in the case the minister had made an offer of €8,500 damages and legal costs.

He was recommending the court’s approval of the settlement.

Mr Justice Smyth said he felt the plaintiff was adopting a prudent and sensible approach to the matter and he would approve the settlement.