Runaway teen sent to secure detention centre

A troubled Limerick youth who absconded from Limerick University Hospital after being placed there by the HSE as a temporary care measure was in a secure detention centre last night after handing himself up.

The 16 year old was brought before a children’s sitting of Limerick District Court after he earlier went to Henry Street Garda Station with his father.

Judge Eugene O’Kelly was told by Sgt Donal Cronin that a bed was now available for the boy at Oberstown detention centre, from where he had been turned away last week due to lack of space.

Judge O’Kelly ordered that the youth, who pleaded guilty to charges of criminal damage and theft, be detained in Oberstown House for six months.

Imposing the detention order, Judge O’Kelly said this was rarely done as the idea of the juvenile justice system was to keep young people in the community and out of detention.

However, in this case, he had numerous reports from the probation service going back to February. During that period, adjournments had been granted for the youth to improve his behaviour.

However, his behaviour deteriorated and he had not engaged with a programme of restorative justice

Judge O’Kelly said, in view of the youth’s homeless situation and the very high risk of re-offending, the only appropriate measure was a six-month detention order.

Since July, the youth had been turned away six times from Oberstown House, one of the two designated secure detention centres for boys aged under 17, due to lack of beds.

Last Friday, Limerick gardaí had to place him in a cell after he returned late at night, having again failed to get a bed at Oberstown.

As his detention in a Garda station cell is not allowed under new legislation, gardaí took him to a special court sitting in Ennis on Saturday, where he was put into the care of the HSE, until a secure detention place could be found.