In the wake of the tragic report about the Dunne family in Monageer, Co Wexford, it was reassuring to see the full spectrum of State services employed in Athlone to attend to the needs of a troubled teenage girl in the District Court this week (May 13 ).
Appearing before Judge John Neilan in his chambers was a guarded 17-year-old in the uniform of the street – hoody and tracksuit pants - on charges of criminal damage, assault, threatening and abusive behaviour and public drunkenness.
She was appealing to return to Pinewood House in Fardrum from a period of detention in Oberstown girls' school in north Dublin after causing a number of disturbances at the Athlone residence during March and April.
Along with the judge, there were in attendance four gardai, four social workers, two solicitors, one probation officer and one member of the court staff to deal with the young woman's case.
Before Judge Neilan were three reports prepared on her by Oberstown, the HSE and an independent psychologist.
He started cautiously by pointing out to the defendant that it was only in April that he read “Still has a careless attitude” and “Continues to engage in at-risk behaviour” in other reports on her.
“You have the best professionals in the State to discuss various aspects of your life with you,” he told her.
“You will be 18 in November and at that ripe old age you can be imprisoned in Mountjoy. Between now and November is a very short window. If you conduct yourself like you had in the April report the Gardai can come after you again.”
He remanded her back to the care of Pinewood for two weeks and warned if she misbehaved any further he would impose a one year sentence to run from the day after her 18th birthday.
“When I have long passed from this life, take care that you're not wandering around thinking back to the days when you had shoes on your feet and a backside in your trousers,” he intoned.
