Teen gave judge false identity
A young girl lied to gardaí and a judge about her name age and address following her arrest for a trespassing offence, a court has heard.
The girl who claimed to be 13 was remanded in custody for one night by the Dublin Children’s Court on Tuesday after she gave contradictory information about her background. Gardaí were ordered to locate her family and find proof of her identity.
The name and address she gave proved to be false and she is really aged 15, Judge Patrick Brady heard yesterday.
The girl’s father came to court with proof of the girl’s correct identity, age and date of birth.
Arresting Garda Karen Ryan, of Blanchardstown Station, told Judge Brady that the girl “seems to think it’s a joke. I asked her why she lied and she said: ‘because she could’".
Judge Brady said the girl’s legal representatives should talk to her about her attitude and remanded her on bail for two weeks when she is to indicate a plea.
When gardaí went to the home address given by the girl on Tuesday they were told by the occupants that no one with her family name lived there and neighbours had not heard of them either.
In court the girl had said that she was not attending school. She said that she had given the gardaí her father’s mobile telephone number and other details about her family.
Garda Ryan said that the man she spoke to her father by telephone but he said his family lived at a different address to that stated by the girl. He also told the Garda that his daughter was in school and gave details about his family which differed from the girl’s account.
The girl had also named a school which she claimed she had previously attended and also mentioned the name of one of her former teachers.
When the school was contacted they neither heard of the girl or the teacher.
