Couple ‘heavily involved in substance abuse’ when they abducted daughter, court hears

A couple who abducted their young daughter, prompting a nationwide Child Safety Alert, were “heavily involved in substance abuse” at the time, a court has heard.

The 33-year-old father previously pleaded guilty to intentionally taking the two-year-old from a health centre in Co Mayo on October 12th, 2021. He cannot be named in order to protect his daughter’s identity.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Wednesday that the man is facing trial in Mayo next year on separate charges including assault, burglary and criminal damage. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned passing sentence over the abduction pending the outcome of the other trial.

Garda Derek Sweeney told Derek Cooney BL, prosecuting, that some years previously the man went to the UK where he met a woman and they had a daughter. The family visited Mayo from the UK in the middle of last year for a birthday party.

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The court heard that the couple had “some problem with alcohol” with Mr Cooney saying both parents were “heavily involved in substance abuse” at the time and were “completely out of it” at the party.

Welfare concerns

About a week later the toddler was brought to a local doctor, the court heard. The doctor contacted Túsla raising concerns about the girl’s welfare and, following a formal complaint, an interim care order was made placing her in the care of a relative.

The parents were given access to visit their daughter from time to time at a designated venue. It was on one such scheduled visit at Swinford Health Centre last October that the father arrived alone, bringing food and drinks for the child.

When the support worker asked where the mother was, the man said she was sick. The court heard that when the girl arrived with her guardian, the man picked up his daughter, said “I’m really sorry” to the relative and carried the child to a waiting car. The child’s mother was driving the car and she took off at a dangerous speed, counsel said.

A nationwide Child Rescue Alert was activated and broadcast widely in the media, leading gardaí to trace man’s location via his phone to Camden Street in Dublin.

Identified child

A receptionist working at Keaven’s Port Hotel on Camden Street saw the alert on her phone and identified the child as being with two adults who had checked in. Garda Sweeney agreed with Dean Kelly SC, defending, that hotel staff said the child did not appear at all distressed.

Gardaí arrived at the hotel, removed the child and arrested her parents, who were interviewed several times and made full admissions. The court heard the man was polite and told gardaí he “just wanted to spend time with my daughter”.

The court heard that the mother, a UK national, pleaded guilty to abduction but failed to turn up for sentencing and is now living in London. Mr Cooney said that some weeks after the abduction, the man attempted to abduct the child again from a house in Knock, Co Mayo.

He faces a number of charges in relation to that offence including assault, criminal damage and burglary, with trial due to begin next year in Castlebar Circuit Court.

Judge Nolan adjourned sentencing until March 8th next.