There is no appropriate place in the State for a disturbed teenage boy, the High Court heard yesterday. The 15-year-old was allegedly sexually abused and is alleged to have himself sexually abused three other young persons.
There was a "real likelihood" the boy would commit a serious sexual offence unless something was done quickly about placing him in appropriate facilities in England, Mr Mark de Blacam SC, for the boy, suing through his mother, said.
The English solution had been recommended 10 months ago and very lame excuses had been offered for not investigating the English units, counsel said.
Mr Justice Kelly directed the State and health board to examine the option of placing the boy in a unit in England for adolescents displaying sexually in appropriate behaviour or in two other English units which also have appropriate therapeutic inputs. There was no such unit in this State, he heard.
The judge said the English units were not exactly what the boy required because they were not secure, but they were more appropriate than anything available here.
A social worker said it was planned to visit the units in England next week for the purposes of assessing them.
The court heard the boy has the mental age of a nine-year-old and is of exceptionally low intelligence. He lives with his mother and three siblings.
His father was an alcoholic and some of the child's behaviour was said to have been modelled on that of his father, who died two years ago.
Mr Felix McEnroy SC, for the health board, accepted the matter was urgent. The board wanted a short adjournment to inspect the English facilities.
