Teen disappears before court date

A functionally illiterate 16-year-old boy, who over the last three years has lived a chaotic life involving heroin addiction, no education and prolonged periods on the streets, has vanished the Dublin Children’s Court heard today.

The boy, who had been living in hostel accommodation, was due to appear in the Children’s Court yesterday for his case arising out of the theft of a bicycle.

Defence solicitor Catherine Ghent told Judge Catherine Murphy that the boy has been missing since November 17 last. “There are huge concerns in relation to him; his mother indicated that he may be in London.”

She also said that the boy’s brother believed that he was in the North.

Ms Ghent said the Health Service Executive was contacted and they have been in touch with both the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the London Metropolitan Police over the boy’s disappearance but as yet he has not been located.

The boy had been living in hostel accommodation and has not made contact with support workers who have been assisting him and are now very worried.

Judge Murphy said she had no option but to issue a bench warrant for the boy and added everything must be done identify his whereabouts.

During an earlier case in the Children’s Court had heard that the boy first came before the courts when he was aged 12, and over the following year was arrested for eight offences.

His family lived in a caravan parked on the side of a small road. They did not have a toilet or washing facilities and the nearest running water was a tap 40, metres away. His father had left the home when was aged 12, and he lacked significant parental guidance.

He had also witnessed domestic violence and alcohol abuse in his home.

When he was aged 9 his family moved to England; they returned three years later. The aged 12, he enrolled in a school but was expelled after 12 days. Since then he has had no education and was functionally illiterate.

It was also said earlier that he had “no active engagement with society apart from through the courts".