A 14-year-old Waterford boy was last night spending his fourth night in a Garda cell after his father refused to pay £1 bail for his release. The boy is charged with assaulting his mother and a garda, with having a knife and with being drunk. He appeared at Waterford Children's Court yesterday and was again remanded in custody to Waterford Garda station.
A South-Eastern Health Board social worker said a psychiatric team had found that the boy needed a residential placement. However, no place was available.
Judge William Hartnett said that gardai had contacted the Departments of Education and Justice, but had come up against a blank wall. "This boy is at serious risk and his parents should go to the High Court, because apparently the District Court is powerless as far as these institutions are concerned. They appear to be a law unto themselves."
The court heard that a place would be available in St Michael's Assessment Centre on October 26th. The case was adjourned to this afternoon.