Athlone Town Council got a second judicial ear-bashing this week (September 4 ) when it failed in its attempt to prosecute a seven-year-old child for littering after her dental appointment card was found on the street.
“What sort of business do you run at Athlone Town Council? You’re prosecuting a seven year old child here,” said Judge John Neilan to the Council’s embattled solicitor.
The mother of the child appeared in court to confirm her name and address and that of her daughter’s, against whom the council was trying to bring the conviction.
Judge Neilan reacted with amusement a second time, when the solicitor applied to the court to have the name on the summons amended to the mother’s name, so the prosecution might be brought against an adult.
“I have no intention of doing that,” said the judge.
“Why couldn’t you have contacted the dental clinic and cleared this up straight away?
“Have you any capacity to apologise to the family?
“If you were of a mind you could’ve travelled up there and identified the age of the child.
“Why? You couldn’t care less. Dismissed,” said the judge, throwing out the summons.
“I wish to apologise,” offered the Fair and Murtagh solicitor.
