A teenage Romanian girl who came to work in Ireland entered the country with a false Italian identity card, the Dublin Children's Court heard yesterday.
Judge John O'Neill was told that the girl (16), had been arrested in her sister's residence on March 31st last and was charged with possession of a false identity card, which she admitted.Garda Gwen McKenna, from the National Immigration Bureau, said that during a search she found an Italian identity card which the girl claimed belonged to her and that she had used it to enter the State.
However, following a check with the Italian embassy it was confirmed that the identity card was fake.
After her arrest the girl was remanded in custody in the Oberstown Girl's Centre until documentation confirming her true identity and age arrived from Romania. Judge O'Neill was told that the girl came from a very poor background and had come to Ireland hoping to finding work.
Her sister had sent her the money so she could travel here. The girl's birth certificate and Romanian identity card were handed in to court yesterday.
Judge O'Neill released her without conviction under the Probation Offenders Act.