A 14-year-old boy facing 26 charges was released on bail yesterday because no place was available in the State's juvenile institutions to hold him.
Dublin Children's Court was told that the boy had completed a three-week assessment in the non-secure St Michael's Institution and staff there had recommended that he should be sent to a secure facility, but both the Trinity House Detention Centre and Oberstown Boys' Centre were full.
Garda Paul Farrell, of Store Street, said that the boy had two bottles of stolen perfume when he arrested him on February 2nd. On August 10th last, he had tried to take a moped by breaking its lock with a bolt-cutter. He had also criminally damaged an item of clothing in a sports shop.
Judge William Earley let the case stand for two hours to see if any places were available, but he was eventually told that neither institution could take the boy.
In view of the circumstances, Judge Earley released the boy on bail for one week to see if a place could be secured by then. "It is a matter of urgency that he does have a secure placement," he said.
The case was adjourned until February 17th next.
