Mother of teen ATM thief may be reported - Judge

Judge Catherine Murphy said today that the mother of a 13-year-old girl, who is charged with theft offences for an alleged ATM machine scam, may have to be reported to social services over her ability as a parent.

The Romanian girl who is residing in west Dublin arrived in Ireland just two months ago and in that time has been the subject of a number of arrests relating to stealing money from people at ATMs.

She was charged at the Dublin Children’s Court with six counts of theft of €200 from people at ATMs in Dublin city centre. The offences happened at bank machines on O’Connell Street, Grafton Street and at Stephen’s Green.

The alleged offences happened from February 20 to March 10 with two of them allegedly taking place on the same day.

On March 23 last she had been granted bail on condition that she did not loiter near any ATM and that she did not enter the Dublin 1 or Dublin 2 areas.

However, Garda Niall O’Reilly of Pearse Street station told Judge Murphy today that less than two days later, he saw the girl with her mother begging in Dublin city centre, between the hours of 1 am and 4 am.

Judge Murphy said that was "totally unacceptable" and the girl’s mother had been made fully aware of her daughter’s bail conditions.

"Perhaps she should not be in the care of her mother if she (the mother) is going to behave in that fashion."

"Maybe she is not a fit person to have control over her," she said adding that the mother may have to be reported to social services.

She adjourned the case until next week, and remanded the girl, who was accompanied to court by her mother, on bail.

The adjournment was granted to allow the defence solicitor take legal instructions in relation to the garda evidence of the mother being present when her daughter broke her bail conditions.