16-year-old girl threatened by drug gang lacks secure care placement, High Court hears
A 16-year-old girl threatened by a drug gang was the subject of a High Court hearing in Dublin on 22 April 2025, where the court was told the State has no secure special care space available for her. The girl, who cannot be identified by court order, is in the care of a non-secure private residential agency, and adult drug dealers have called to collect her in cars. Mr Justice Oisín Quinn made an order empowering Gardaí to search for and return the girl if she absconds. The proceedings were returned to 1 May 2025.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court22 Apr
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A 16-year-old girl was threatened by a drug gang seeking to exploit her.
- Where
- The case was heard in the High Court in Dublin.
- When
- The High Court hearing took place on 22 April 2025.
- Cause
- The girl was threatened with being shot if she did not co-operate with the drug gang.
- Investigation
- Gardaí were unable to investigate, detain and prosecute the male adult exploiters because they required voluntary statements from the girl.
- Other details
- The girl is currently in the care of a non-secure private residential agency where the manager has no authority to restrain her.
- The State has 26 special care beds but only 15 are currently staffed, and none is available for the girl.
- Tusla would be powerless to abide by any court detention order due to the lack of staffed beds.
- Adult drug dealers have called to collect the girl in cars, and on one occasion five males in a car drove alongside and shouted threats at her on a motorway.
- The girl had made previous attempts to flee.
- In court
- Mr Justice Oisín Quinn made an order empowering Gardaí to search for and return the girl if she absconds.
- The proceedings were returned to 1 May 2025.
10 statements extracted from the articles
- investigationGardaí were unable to investigate, detain and prosecute the male adult exploiters because they required voluntary statements from the girl (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe proceedings were returned to 1 May 2025 (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe State has no secure special care space available for the girl (irishtimes.com)
- otherThere are 26 special care beds in the country but only 15 are currently staffed (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe girl is currently in the care of a non-secure private residential agency (irishtimes.com)
- otherAdult drug dealers have called to collect the girl in cars (irishtimes.com)
- otherTusla would be powerless to abide by any court detention order due to lack of staffed beds (irishtimes.com)
- otherThere are only 15 staffed beds in two special care units in Dublin and one in Limerick (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe girl had made previous attempts to flee (irishtimes.com)
- otherOn one occasion five males in a car drove alongside and shouted threats at the girl on a motorway (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 22 Apr2025Girl threatened with being shot by drug gang cannot get secure care space, court hears
Reports on a High Court hearing where the judge learned of the lack of secure care beds for a 16-year-old girl threatened by a drug gang, and made an order empowering Gardaí to search for and return her if she absconds. Proceedings returned to 1 May 2025.
victim, 16, femalesuspect, male