Disturbed boy could be sent for care in England

A High Court judge yesterday asked a health board to examine the possibility of securing a place in a secure therapeutic centre in England for an extremely disturbed teenage boy who has a history of fire-setting and is described as a danger to himself and others.

The mother of the 14-year-old, who is in a State detention centre because there is no appropriate place for him in this State, told Mr Justice Kelly her son did not care where he was sent "as long as he gets help".

She said she did not object to the boy going to England but was anxious that she would be able to continue visiting him.

The boy is mildly mentally handicapped and was sexually abused outside the family. He was taken from the family home more than two years ago to get treatment and counselling.

Mr Cormac Corrigan SC, for the health board charged with responsibility for the boy's welfare, said there had been considerable input into the boy's wellbeing. The boy's case was reviewed by Mr Justice Kelly yesterday. He was told by Mr Corrigan that the boy had been assessed by an English consultant adolescent forensic psychiatrist, who had prepared a report. A care plan was being formulated in accordance with that report.

Counsel asked that the matter be adjourned pending finalisation of the care plan by the end of July and to continue the boy's detention in the State centre pending further order.

The judge said he would order that the boy remain at the State centre. He said he would review the matter on July 25th. He directed the health board to examine the possibility of placing the boy in England, which option might be better than "something patched together in a detention centre".

He added that he wished to be told how the English psychiatrist who assessed the boy came to believe there was a plan to provide a secure adolescent psychiatric service in this State. Although several cases had shown the need for such a centre, the judge said as far as he knew there was no such service in the State and no plan to provide one.