Judge praises teen prostitute's efforts to beat drugs
A care plan has been devised to help a teenage girl, who has been charged with working as a prostitute but now making valiant efforts to beat her heroin addiction, the Children’s Court heard today.
Judge Catherine Murphy adjourned the case for a month to allow the girl (aged 17) and her solicitor scrutinise the care plan that has been proposed by the Health Service Executive (HSE).
The girl, who is a recovering heroin addict, is charged under section 7 of the Criminal Law Sexual Offences Act for loitering in a public place with intent to solicit or importune another person for the purposes of prostitution, at Stoneybatter, Dublin 7, on January 3.
The girl is currently residing in a care home and is allowed to have supervised visits with her mother, who is also being investigated for being involved in prostitution with her daughter.
The court had heard that her mother and little sister, aged six, were present when she was engaged in an act of prostitution in a laneway with a 50-year-old man.
Adjourning the case, Judge Murphy commended the girl for the efforts she has made to beat her addiction.
“Keep up the good work. You are doing extremely well. It is not easy but you will get there with support. Everyone is very pleased with you and are admiring the success you are having and how hard you are trying,” the judge told the girl.
Earlier the girl has claimed her mother was protecting her when she was engaged in prostitution. “She was minding me, making sure I don’t get pregnant,” she had said earlier.
The HSE recently informed the court that it would continue to provide the girl with assistance following her 18th birthday later this year, when she will be an adult and there would be no obligation on it to provide her with care and welfare.
The case was adjourned until May.
