Girl who had `ghastly' childhood alleged she was used for prostitution, court told

An extremely disturbed young girl has tried to end her life a number of times after a "ghastly" childhood, the High Court heard yesterday. She was allegedly sold into prostitution by her mother and experienced physical and sexual abuse.

Mr Justice Kelly said this case was "among the worst, if not the worst, it has been my misfortune to deal with". The girl, now aged 14, was allegedly handed over by her mother for child prostitution in the city of Waterford to a named man who appeared to be operating as a pimp offering young girls.

The judge heard that a Garda investigation was under way into the matter. He was also told a warrant had been issued for the man's arrest following his failure to attend court last week to answer charges of contempt of a court order restraining him from approaching another health board unit for troubled girls. The girl is now in the care of the South Eastern Health Board and has been placed in a secure unit operated by the Southern Health Board.

The judge was told the man alleged to be operating as a pimp had previously approached another unsecured health board unit where the girl was detained and there were concerns he might approach the unit where the girl is now. The judge was asked to make orders restraining the man from contacting the girl or other girls in her unit or from approaching the unit.

The judge made those orders and also made orders directing the girl remain in the secure unit. He made further orders prohibiting contact between the girl's parents and the child.

The judge had earlier heard that the girl's father had not lived with the family for 10 years and that her mother had an alcohol and other problems. There were concerns about the family since about 1996. The girl had made allegations of sexual abuse against a male friend of her mother's and other males. The girl and other siblings ran away from home several times.

The girl and other siblings were admitted to voluntary care of the South Eastern Health Board in 1996 and were placed with foster parents. In 1997 the girl's mother took her and she didn't return for two days. The girl told her foster mother of what happened while she was away, which caused concern to the health board. The girl's mother later admitted she could not look after her children and care orders were made in relation to them.

The girl's behaviour deteriorated in early 2000 and she was moved from a foster family to an unsecure unit later that year. She made allegations of sexual abuse and demonstrated extremely disturbed behaviour, including cutting herself and assaulting staff.

She absconded in January but later contacted the unit and asked to be picked up. She alleged she had had sex with a number of men and had met the man who is suspected of running a prostitution ring in Waterford. The girl also alleged a history of child prostitution initiated by her mother and made allegations relating to her mother's partner.

In February, injunctions were issued by a Circuit Court judge restraining the named man from contacting the girl and another girl and from watching or besetting the place where the girl resided.

The girl was moved to a secure unit last month on the application of the health board after it expressed concerns that the unsecure unit was not equipped to deal with her extremes of behaviour. She had taken several overdoses of paracetamol and there were serious concerns for her life.

In court yesterday, the manager of the unit where the girl remains said there were child protection concerns about the girl's family and he believed she should have no access to either parent. They had not tried to contact her and she did not want to see them.

Mr Justice Kelly said it was hard to credit that a parent would deliver up her daughter for child prostitution. There was an appalling family background and this child had had a truly miserable existence. If she was to have any chance of a normal life this could only be away from her parents, Mr Justice Kelly said.