Boy, 14, asked to be detained

A 14-year-old boy, who is in care, is at the centre of a legal dilemma over his future welfare and accommodation, the Dublin Children’s Court heard yesterday.

Last week the boy made what was described as a “brave decision” when he asked to be held in a detention centre rather than be released on bail to live in emergency hostel accommodation.

The boy had pleaded guilty to a spate of offences. None of his family was in court during the proceedings in which he had been accompanied by his social worker.

Judge Ann Ryan had heard that on November 9 last he had vandalised a car at Patrick Street, in Dun Laoghaire, in Co. Dublin, causing €570 worth of damages. “The car had scratch marks and a tyre was slashed,” a Garda said.

Garda Jane Ryan of Dun Laoghaire station had said that the boy, with other youths, had sprayed graffiti on footpaths, windows, walls and a car, at a school, on a date last August. The mess was cleaned up by local volunteers.

Judge Ryan was also told that the boy had stole and sold on a bicycle worth €390, on October 5 last.

The young boy has no previous convictions.

His solicitor Michelle Finan had said the boy was in the care of the Health Service Executive. She was awaiting a social service report on him to be furnished to the court. She had said the boy’s case was also before the High Court which was investigating what care facility he could be placed in for own welfare.

In the mean time he was to reside in “out-of hours” emergency hostel accommodation for youths, the court had heard last week.

A Garda then said that the High Court action would not make any progress until the child’s criminal prosecutions have been finalised. The boy then asked to be remanded in custody.

“It was a brave decision to make,” Ms Finan had said to which the judge replied “it certainly was.” The boy was then remanded in custody until yesterday.

Solicitor for the HSE, Ms Una McEvoy informed the court yesterday that the boy’s case had been before the High Court which had approved sending him to Hassela Gotland, a special therapeutic centre in Sweden, where troubled Irish children with psychological problems have been placed in the past.

However, the boy refused to go there and without his consent he could not be forced to go.

He had earlier been placed in a care unit in England, and the high support Ballydowd Special Care Unit, in Dublin. Later the High Court ordered that for his own welfare he was to be placed in the Finglas Children’s Centre.

Other care placements have broken down because of his violent behaviour.

She said that referrals were being made to see what alternative care facilities could take the boy.

Ms Finan said the boy’s mother was not present and had asked her office “to stop sending her letters” about her son. She asked for the court not to proceed with sentencing saying that under the Children Act, detention of a child must be a “last resort” and added that the boy was seeking bail.

Judge Ryan noted that the boy, who remained silent during the case, had no previous convictions. But she remanded him in custody for a further two weeks for a Probation Service report to recommend what suitable sanctions the court could impose on him.