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Lawyers may wish to consider garda-like guidelines when engaging with child offenders, judge says

Summary

In a High Court hearing on 7 October 2024, Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced a 17‑year‑old juvenile who had sexually assaulted and defiled a 13‑year‑old girl in a Dublin park. The boy pleaded guilty to one count of defilement of a child under 15 and one of sexual assault. The judge noted the boy's lack of consent, the use of violence, and the coercive element of the assault. He highlighted the boy's mental health diagnosis and lack of prior convictions, and remarked that the boy's prepared statements to Gardaí contained self‑serving lies. The judge advised lawyers to consider Gardaí guidelines for interviewing juveniles. The boy received a 12‑month detention sentence, while the victim, aged 15, delivered a victim impact statement describing the lasting psychological harm and her determination to prevent future victims. The judge praised her courage and noted the impact on her mental health and family.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Lawyers may wish to consider garda-like guidelines when engaging with child offenders, judge says. Charges or matters: one count of defilement of a child under 15 and one of sexual assault in a Dublin park in September 2022. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• September 2022 Incident
• 2024-10-07 Publication

Why: The guilty pleas given by the 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named because he is a juvenile, were on the basis that the sexual intercourse took place without the girl's consent, Patricia McLaughlin SC, prosecuting, told the Central Criminal Court. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report