Teenage girl barred from city centre for begging with baby brother

A teenage girl, who brought her baby brother onto the streets in the pouring rain to beg for money, has been restricted from entering the city-centre.

Dublin Children’s Court heard that the 17-year-old girl, originally from Romania, had been arrested at Merrion Square North for begging, on January 8 last.

Harcourt Terrace garda Stephen Dowling told Judge Angela Ní Chonduin the young girl was with her two-year-old brother when she was begging in the “lashing rain”.

Judge Ní Chonduin said the infant could have caught pneumonia.

The girl, who lives in west Dublin, is charged with section three of the Vagrancy Act for begging.

She adjourned the case with bail until March. In the meantime, she barred the girl from entering the city centre area and added that bail would be rescinded if she re-offends.