Warrant issued for no-show parents of shoplifter

A Bbench warrant has been issued to have a teenage shoplifter’s parents arrested after they failed to attend their daughter’s Children’s Court case.

A bench warrant has been issued to have a teenage shoplifter’s parents arrested after they failed to attend their daughter’s Children’s Court case.

The girl (aged 17), who is originally from Romania, had pleaded guilty to shoplifting at a Lidl outlet in Blanchardstown, in Dublin.

Judge Ann Ryan also said today that the girl’s parents were also not present for the case last month when she admitted the offence.

The case had been put back until today and a probation report was also sought.

The parents had been notified that they were to be present yesterday but the girl had come to court with her sister-in-law. Judge Ryan also said that the girl had not made contact with the Probation Service.

“In the circumstances, given the report, the parents certainly need to be in court and the matter needs to be addressed,” she said.

“I will issue a warrant for the parents to be in court,” she said as she remanded the girl on bail to appear again next week.

Section 91 of the Children Act 2001 states: “The parent or guardian of a child shall be required to attend at all stages of criminal proceedings.”

“Where the parents or guardian fail or neglect without reasonable excuse, to attend any proceedings the court may adjourn the proceedings and issue a warrant for the arrest of the parents or guardian and the warrant shall command the person to whom it is addressed to produce the parents or guardian before the court.

“Failure by the parents without reasonable excuse to attend any such proceedings shall be treated for all purposes as if it were a contempt in the face of the court.”