A 15-year-old Northern boy was locked in a young offenders' centre last night because there was nowhere else for him to go.
Mr Justice Coghlin in the Belfast High Court criticised the Department of Health for its "deplorable failure" to provide adequate alternative accommodation and he adjourned a decision on what to do with the boy until today.
The boy was remanded to Lisnevin Young Offenders Centre in Co Down when he was arrested for failing to attend court. There are only eight beds in secure units in Northern Ireland and they were occupied.