A 16-yr-old girl who has repeatedly gone missing from care was discovered selling crack cocaine on Dublin’s O’Connell Street, raising “major concerns” about her safety.
The teenager, who cannot be identified due to her age, appeared before Judge Paul Kelly at Dublin Children’s Court on Tuesday facing new drug-related charges, just over a week before she is due to stand trial for cocaine dealing, reports Breaking News.
She was charged with possession of cocaine and having it for sale or supply.
During a contested bail hearing, the court was told the substance had been analysed and confirmed to contain cocaine, with gardaí suspecting it was crack, reports Breaking News.
Bail was granted, but she was warned to comply strictly with conditions, including observing a curfew.
The court also heard that applications have been made by Tusla under the Child Care Act to secure a more suitable placement for the teenager, which could be impacted if she were remanded in custody at Oberstown Children Detention Campus, reports Breaking News.
She had been arrested in the early hours of Tuesday and detained until her court appearance.
The girl faced opposition to bail on the new charges, along with an application to revoke bail related to her upcoming trial for cocaine dealing and criminal damage at a Garda station earlier this year, reports Breaking News.
Garda Finbar Thompson told the court there were “major concerns for her safety” following her latest arrest linked to suspected drug dealing.
The alleged crack seized was estimated to have a street value of €240, reports Breaking News.
Garda Thompson also stated that the teenager had gone missing from her accommodation or breached curfew 17 times in the previous 18 days, and 67 times in total.
However, he accepted under questioning from defence counsel Orla Doolin that the girl always returned to her accommodation in Dublin, reports Breaking News.
The defence challenged the introduction of a chart detailing the dates she had gone missing, arguing it was hearsay, though it was acknowledged that the girl accepted being absent on four occasions.
Garda Sergeant Chris Jones told the court that the missing person reports had been compiled from her current placement and logged on the Garda system, reports Breaking News.
He said he had observed the teenager at around 1am in the company of older drug users, aged between their 20s and early 40s.
He added that the seized bag contained “15 individual street deals, not simply one block of crack,” reports Breaking News.
While he accepted it was dark at the time, he noted there was lighting in the area and that the girl was clearly identifiable.
The defence argued there was no indication the teenager would abscond or interfere with witnesses or evidence, reports Breaking News.
Counsel also submitted that, given the relatively low value of the drugs involved, a custodial sentence would be unlikely if she were convicted, emphasising that she retains the presumption of innocence.
Judge Kelly refused the application to deny bail but warned he would be “seriously inclined” to do so if she continued to breach conditions, including a prohibition on entering the O’Connell Street area, reports Breaking News.
Despite her history, he granted her one final opportunity to comply with bail terms.
The teenager, who spent much of the hearing with her head resting on her hand, responded briefly when prompted by the judge to confirm she understood the proceedings, reports Breaking News.
She is due to appear in court again next week.
Her social care worker attended the hearing, and the court was told she was also expected to participate in a bail supervision programme for young offenders, reports Breaking News.
However, gardaí had been unable to confirm her level of engagement with the programme by the time of the hearing, reports Breaking News.
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