Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 2466Theft · Co. Dublin · 21 Jan 2025

Teen sisters on bail over thefts from vulnerable adults in Dublin

Two teenage sisters, aged 16 and 17, were arrested on 23 January 2025 by the Serious Crime Unit at Pearse Street Garda Station in connection with thefts in Dublin City Centre in which vulnerable adults were allegedly coerced into making purchases and withdrawing cash. The charges allege that on 21 January the girls took Joshua Spurling, 23, a student with Down syndrome from Greystones, Co Wicklow, who was on a college trip to the city, to an ATM at the GPO and withdrew €500 from his account. They were each charged with that theft and with three further counts of stealing sums totalling €703 from another man on 20 January. At Dublin Children's Court on 27 and 28 January, Judge Brendan Toale granted them bail with conditions including staying out of Dublin 2 and staying away from people with intellectual disabilities, and adjourned the case to February pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested23 Jan
    4 reports
  3. Charged27 Jan
    2 reports
  4. In court28 Jan
    2 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Two teenage sisters, aged 16 and 17, were arrested in connection with a series of thefts in Dublin City Centre in which vulnerable adults were allegedly coerced into making purchases and withdrawing cash.
  • The charges allege the girls took Joshua Spurling, 23, a student with Down syndrome from Greystones, Co Wicklow, to an ATM at the GPO on 21 January, held him for around 30 minutes, demanded he buy them food, and withdrew €500 from his account.
  • Three further charges allege the girls stole sums totalling €703 from another male at a store in the Ilac shopping centre and a shop at College Green on 20 January.
Where
The theft from Joshua Spurling took place at Aston Quay, Dublin 2, and the further thefts at a store in the Ilac shopping centre and a shop at College Green, Dublin.
When
The incidents occurred on 20 and 21 January 2025.
Investigation
Gardaí from the Serious Crime Unit at Pearse Street Garda Station arrested the two girls on 23 January 2025 and detained them under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.
Charges
Each sister was charged with theft of €500 from Joshua Spurling, 23, and with three further counts of stealing sums totalling €703 from another male.
In court
  • The sisters appeared at Dublin Children's Court on 27 and 28 January 2025, made no reply when charged, and were granted bail with conditions including staying out of Dublin 2 and staying away from people with intellectual disabilities or any education courses they attend.
  • Judge Brendan Toale adjourned the case to February pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions, and no decision has been made on whether the case will remain in the Children's Court or go to the Circuit Court.
Other details
  • The girls were granted free legal aid and have yet to enter a plea.
  • Gardaí appealed for members of the public who may have been victims of similar incidents to contact Pearse Street Garda Station on 01 666 9000.
84 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatVictims were taken to cash points and retailers and coerced into making substantial purchases and withdrawing sums of cash which were then stolen (garda.ie)
  • whatTwo teenage girls were arrested by gardaí investigating thefts from and coercion of vulnerable adults in Dublin (irishtimes.com)
  • whatAdults were approached by two girls and taken to ATM machines to withdraw money (irishtimes.com)
  • whatJoshua Spurling, 23, has Down syndrome (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe shop manager intervened and prevented the girls from withdrawing cash (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe girls withdrew €500 from Joshua's account (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe girls held Joshua for around 30 minutes (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe girls demanded Joshua buy them food (irishtimes.com)
  • whatAbout €700 was taken from the account of another vulnerable adult (irishtimes.com)
  • whatGardaí were informed of incidents in which people were taken to cash points and retailers, coerced into purchases and cash withdrawals, and then robbed. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatPeople were taken to ATMs and coerced into making huge purchases and withdrawing sums of cash, which were then robbed from them. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatPeople were taken to cash points and retailers and coerced into making substantial purchases and withdrawing sums of cash which were then stolen. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatTwo teenage sisters were charged with stealing €500 from a young man. (thejournal.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe victim is a student with Down's syndrome from Greystones, Co Wicklow, who was on a college trip to the city. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatTwo teenage sisters were arrested during a Garda investigation into thefts from vulnerable adults in Dublin. (rte.ie)
  • whatJoshua Spurling is a student with Down syndrome from Greystones, Co Wicklow. (thejournal.ie)
  • whereThe girls approached Joshua in a shop (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe girls took Joshua to an ATM at the GPO (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe thefts took place in Dublin City Centre. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whereThe thefts occurred in Dublin City Centre. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe theft took place at Aston Quay, Dublin 2. (thejournal.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe theft from Joshua Spurling took place at Aston Quay, Dublin 2. (rte.ie)
  • whereThe further thefts took place at a store in the Ilac shopping centre and a shop at College Green. (rte.ie)
  • whenThe theft incidents occurred on 20 and 21 January 2025 (garda.ie)
  • whenThe incidents occurred on 20 and 21 January 2025 (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe incidents occurred on Monday and Tuesday. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whenThe incidents occurred on Monday and Tuesday (20 and 21 January 2025). (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe theft took place on 21 January. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenThe theft occurred on 21 January 2025. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe theft from Joshua Spurling took place on 21 January. (rte.ie)
  • investigationGardaí investigating a number of thefts in Dublin City Centre arrested two female juveniles on 23 January 2025 (garda.ie)
  • investigationGardaí from the Serious Crime Unit at Pearse Street Garda Station made the arrests (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationBoth suspects are detained at a Garda Station in Dublin under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí are appealing for members of the public who may have been victims to contact Pearse Street Garda Station (garda.ie)
  • investigationInvestigations are ongoing (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí from the Serious Crime Unit at Pearse Street made the arrests (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe public is asked to contact Pearse Street Garda station on 01 666 9000 (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí appealed for witnesses following the series of thefts. (longfordleader.ie)
  • investigationMembers of the public who may have been victims of a similar incident are asked to contact Pearse Street Garda Station. (longfordleader.ie)
  • investigationInvestigations into the incidents are ongoing. (longfordleader.ie)
  • investigationGardaí appealed to the public to contact Pearse Street Garda Station on 01 666 9000 if they believe they may be a victim. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí from the Serious Crime Unit at Pearse Street Garda Station arrested the two girls on Thursday and detained them under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationOfficers from the Serious Crime Unit at Pearse Street Garda Station arrested the two girls on Thursday and detained them under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationOfficers from the Serious Crime Unit at Pearse Street Garda Station arrested the two girls and detained them under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act to be questioned. (rte.ie)
  • investigationOfficers from the Serious Crime Unit at Pearse Street Garda Station arrested the two girls on Thursday. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeTwo female juveniles were arrested on Thursday in connection with the thefts. (longfordleader.ie)
  • chargeBoth sisters were charged with theft of €500 from Joshua Spurling, 23. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeThe two girls were each charged with theft of €500 from Joshua Spurling, 23. (rte.ie)
  • chargeThe girls faced three fresh charges for stealing sums totalling €703 from another male at two locations on 20 January. (rte.ie)
  • chargeEach sister was charged with theft of €500 from Joshua Spurling, 23, at Aston Quay, Dublin 2, on January 21. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeThe sisters were charged with three fresh counts of stealing various sums totalling €703 from another male. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe two girls are detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe sisters appeared at the Dublin Children's Court. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe sisters made no reply when charged and have yet to enter pleas. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtGardaí asked for bail conditions including staying out of Dublin 2. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe judge did not impose the signing-on condition but ordered the girls to stay out of Dublin 2 and live at their current home address. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtGardaí needed directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe case was adjourned for four weeks. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe girls appeared at Dublin Children's Court on Monday and were granted bail with conditions. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtJudge Brendan Toale adjourned the case for four weeks. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe girls appeared at the Dublin Children's Court, and more charges were brought the following day. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe judge imposed bail terms that they must remain out of Dublin 2, with an exception for attending legal advice, and must reside at their current home address. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe girls were remanded on bail to appear again in February, pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe judge added a bail condition that the girls must stay away from people with intellectual disabilities or any education courses they attend. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe new charges were put back to the same February date as the earlier allegations. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe sisters were ordered to stay away from people with intellectual disabilities. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe sisters appeared at Dublin Children’s Court. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtA garda sergeant told the judge that the sisters made no reply when charged. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe judge imposed bail terms requiring the sisters to remain out of Dublin 2. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe sisters were remanded on bail to appear again in February. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe judge added a bail condition to stay away from people with intellectual disabilities or any education courses they attend. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe sisters had been granted legal aid and representation and have yet to enter a plea. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtNo decision has yet been made on whether the case will remain in the Children’s Court or go to the Circuit Court. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe teenagers were being detained at a Garda station in Dublin under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. (longfordleader.ie)
  • otherThe victim is a student with Down syndrome from Greystones, Co Wicklow, who was on a college trip to the city. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThey were given station bail on Thursday because Storm Eowyn affected the court. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe girls were granted free legal aid given their ages and the nature of the charges. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe girls were granted free legal aid. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe girls made no reply when charged. (irishmirror.ie, rte.ie)
  • otherThey were given station bail on Thursday because of Storm Eowyn's impact on the court. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherJoshua Spurling is a student with Down syndrome from Greystones, Co Wicklow, who was on a college trip to the city that day. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe girls have been granted legal aid and representation and have yet to enter a plea. (rte.ie)
  • otherNo decision has been made on whether the case will stay in the Children's Court or move to the Circuit Court. (rte.ie)
  • otherJoshua Spurling had been on a college trip to the city on the day of the theft. (thejournal.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 28 Jan2025
    In courtthejournal.ie, follow-up
    Teenagers ordered by court to stay away from people with intellectual difficulties following theft claims

    Adds the Dublin Children’s Court appearance, the bail conditions, and three further theft charges totalling €703 from another male on January 20.

    victim, Joshua Spurling, 23, irish (judged from name)Joshua Spurlingaccused, 16accused, 17
  2. 28 Jan2025
    In courtrte.ie, follow-up
    Two ordered to avoid those with intellectual disabilities

    Adds three further theft charges totalling €703 from another man on 20 January 2025 at a store in the Ilac shopping centre and a shop at College Green, Dublin. Reports the Children's Court appearance, the bail conditions (including a new condition to stay away from people with intellectual disabilities or education courses), the remand to February, and that the girls have not yet entered a plea.

    accused, 16, femaleaccused, 17, femalevictim, Joshua Spurling, 23, irish (judged from name)Joshua Spurlingvictim, male
  3. 27 Jan2025
    Chargedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Teen sisters charged over city-centre theft from man, 23, with Down's syndrome

    First report of the charging and bail hearing at Dublin Children's Court.

    victim, Joshua Spurling, 23, male, irish (judged from name)Joshua Spurlingsuspect, 16, female, irish (judged from name)suspect, 17, female, irish (judged from name)
  4. 27 Jan2025
    Chargedthejournal.ie, follow-up
    Teen sisters charged over theft from vulnerable young man in Dublin city centre

    Reports the sisters' charges and first Children's Court appearance, including bail conditions, the adjournment for four weeks and the need for DPP directions. Also states the arrest under Section 4 and the victim's Down syndrome and college trip.

    accused, 16, femaleaccused, 17, femalevictim, Joshua Spurling, 23, male, irish (judged from name)Joshua Spurling
  5. 24 Jan2025
    Arrestedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Gardai arrest two girls after number of thefts in Dublin

    Initial arrest report; Gardaí appealing for further victims to come forward; investigations ongoing.

    suspect, femalesuspect, female
  6. 24 Jan2025
    Arrestedlongfordleader.ie, first report
    Two teenage girls arrested after coercing people into withdrawing money from ATMs

    First report of the arrests of two female juveniles over a series of coerced cash withdrawal thefts in Dublin City Centre. No existing case matches.

    suspect, femalesuspect, female
  7. 23 Jan2025
    Arrestedirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Two teenage girls arrested after thefts from vulnerable adults in Dublin

    Provides details of how the theft from Joshua Spurling occurred (approached in a shop, taken to GPO ATM, held for 30 minutes, demanded food) and mentions an additional €700 taken from another vulnerable adult's account.

    victim, 23, male, irish (judged from name)suspect, femalesuspect, female
  8. 23 Jan2025
    Arrestedgarda.ie, follow-up
    Witness Appeal - Incidents of Theft in Dublin City Centre, 23rd January 2025.

    Gardaí press release confirming the arrest of two female juvenile teens and appealing for victims of similar incidents in Dublin City Centre to come forward.

    suspect, teens, femalesuspect, teens, female