An order for the arrest of a 13-year-old boy, who is in care but has a history of absconding, was ordered by the High Court yesterday after it heard he had absconded again while on a visit home.
Mr Justice Kelly said he had directed on October 15th that the boy continue to be detained at a State remand centre. He also directed that a case conference on the boy be held within three weeks.
He was not to know on October 15th that, within a a few days, the boy was going to be charged under criminal law. Last Tuesday, at a District Court, the boy pleaded guilty to assault.
The district judge committed the boy to a remand centre for two years but when he was taken to a centre he could not be accommodated. Mr Justice Kelly said that when the case was before the High Court previously, he had directed the boy could have three home visits. However on one visit the boy ran away and refused to return.
Mr Justice Kelly said it was a lamentable situation that an order of the District Court made after a criminal trial was effectively rendered nugatory because the centre was unable to commit the child on foot of the order.
He would direct the gardai to arrest the boy and remove him to the centre to be detained until further order of the court. He adjourned the case to November 8th.