Children are being intimidated and robbed in Ennis, Co Clare. Parents have provided gardai with evidence that money has been extorted from their children in street racketeering.
One boy was mugged by teenagers and robbed of £60. A youth who refused to hand over money was head-butted and a girl was regularly handing over money to a gang. Some youths have been arrested and files are being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
A juvenile liaison officer, Garda Tom Crowe, said that while there was a positive response to an appeal to parents to help tackle bullying, he believed there were still children afraid of telling their parents for fear of reprisal.