Teenager brought into special care amid concern she was being sexually exploited

A 13-year-old girl said to have been “pimped out” for prostitution is now in special care, having been brought there by plainclothes gardaí, the High Court has been told.

The girl was “somewhat shocked” at abruptly finding herself subject of the special care order, made by the court on Wednesday on the application of the Child and Family Agency (CFA), David Leahy BL told Mr Justice Michael Twomey on Thursday when updating the court on the situation.

The order had authorised gardaí to locate and detain the girl and bring her to a secure unit where she will receive appropriate therapeutic care.

Mr Leahy, instructed by Mason Hayes and Curran solicitors, for the CFA was granted the care order following a one-side only represented application to the court on Wednesday. Mr Leahy said a team of plain clothes gardaí was standing by to give effect to the order once it was granted.

The girl was somewhat disturbed and shocked when detained but the order means she will now receive appropriate care, he said.

The order permits the special care unit authorities to release her for appointments including for medical and educational purposes, counsel said.

Should she fail to return, gardaí have power to pick her up without further order. An all-points bulletin had already been issued to all Garda stations about the girl, such was the Garda concern that she was being “pimped out”, along with a number of other girls, by a particular man, counsel said.

The girl, who had been in ordinary non-secure residential care before this because of homelessness and her parents’ alcohol addiction, was also involved in a large gang which was also involving her in criminal activity, the court was told.

Her parents, who had expressed concern last February she was being sexually exploited, had supported the special care order application.

Mr Leahy said the parents, and the girl’s court-appointed guardian, supported the extension of the special care order from eight to 14 days.

Mr Justice Michael Twomey extended the order to 14 days when the matter will return to court.