Judge tells complaining teen: Jail is no holiday home

A judge today told a 16-year-old suspected heroin dealer who complained about conditions in St Patrick’s Institution that “jail is not Butlins”.

The west Dublin teenager is charged at the Children’s Court with possessing heroin believed to be worth €900 for sale or supply, at St Mark’s Drive, in Clondalkin, in Dublin, on December 4 last. He also faces more charge for failing to attend subsequent court appearances.

The boy had been remanded in custody, to St Patrick’s Institution, on February 12 last after the court heard that he had broken bail conditions set down on an earlier date.

Today solicitor Orla Farrell, defending, said that she was instructed to ask the court to reconsider the question of bail.

Judge John Coughlan said he could not accede to the request. “I cannot deal with it, you are asking me to act as an appellant court, if you want to make an application for bail you can go to the High Court,” he said in reply.

He then asked why the boy was in custody to which the solicitor said “there was a number of warrants taken and bail was refused”.

Judge Coughlan said he was putting the case back until next month for a hearing and to allow the prosecution time to obtain a certificate of analysis of the suspected drug supply.

At that point, the 16-year-old boy, who was accompanied by his grandmother, spoke up from the defendants’ bench situated to the right of the judge. “I haven’t had a shower since I went into St Patrick’s,” he complained.

“Jail is not Butlins,” the judge replied as he adjourned the case and further remanded the teenager in custody.