Teenage boy needs help, says judge
The 15-year-old boy, who is before the Dublin Children’s Court, is being held in custody over fears for his safety in his locality.
It has also been revealed that before he came to the attention of the court, he had an income of €300 a week, which is currently under garda investigation.
The boy’s solicitor, Ms Michelle Finan, said yesterday that following comprehensive psychological assessments, efforts are being made to find him the assistance he needs.
The boy has associated with prostitutes, has been in debt to drug dealers, sold drugs at school and has been known to carry a knife, the court also heard.
Judge Mary Collins adjourned the case pending attempts to secure therapeutic assistance for the boy. She also said that he needed to return to education and to cease the activities he had been involved in.
She said: “What concerns me is that if I grant bail he would have to go back to his mother and I don’t think that there are any supports in place. There are certain aspects of your life that have to be put right and you probably need psycho-therapy for that.
“I’m told that you have plenty of brains to do the Leaving Certificate. What I’m trying to do is to see what you need to make sure you stay out of trouble and that all these activities for making money be given up. There are wrong and right ways of making money, that is why I want to get services’ support,” Judge Collins said.
