€45k damages for girls accused of shoplifting

THREE schoolgirls who went on a shopping trip to mark one of their birthdays were wrongly accused of shoplifting and held in a small room for almost half an hour, a judge has heard.

Barrister Colette Egan told the Circuit Civil Court that four years after their experience, the security firm, Chubb Ireland Ltd, agreed to pay each €15,000 compensation.

All three agreed to accept the €45,000 damages which will be lodged in court until they are 18.

They are Roisin Ward, who was 17 yesterday, of Croboy, Hill of Down, Enfield, Co Meath; Aoife Fox, of The Burrows, Killaskillen, Kinnegad, Co Meath; and Mairead O’Reilly, Coralstown, Kinnegad, Co Westmeath, both of whom were 17 last month.

Ms Egan told Judge Jacqueline Linnane that they were in the Liffey Valley Centre, Lucan, Co Dublin, on September 8, 2007, and had visited the cosmetics department in Boots. The court heard that Chubb Ireland, of Stillorgan Industrial Park, Blackrock, Co Dublin, had indemnified Boots, against whom all court action was struck out.

Ms Egan said that after completing their shopping they left the store only to be accosted by a security man. He told them “back to Boots” and, with a colleague, herded them back.

Ms Egan said the girls were taken to a small room in Boots where they were held for 25 minutes and had their bags searched. They had been released only after producing receipts for their purchases.

Ms Egan said security staff had not believed the girls and were asked several times if they wanted to change their story.

Aoife’s mother insisted on calling the gardaí, who had calmed the girls after finding out a mistake had been made. No one had contacted the families and their solicitor, Niall Cunningham, had initiated court proceedings.

Judge Linnane approved the €45,000 block settlement offer with costs by Chubb. She said Chubb had made a realistic and fair offer and had removed the need for the girls to have to relive their experiences in the witness box.