Teen sisters charged over city-centre theft from man (23) with Down syndrome

Tom Tuite

Two teenage sisters arrested during a Garda investigation into thefts from vulnerable adults in Dublin city centre have been charged with stealing €500 from a young man.

The pair, aged 16 and 17, who cannot be named because they are minors and have the legal right to anonymity, appeared at the Dublin Children's Court on Monday.

Officers from the Serious Crime Unit at Pearse Street Garda Station arrested the two girls on Thursday and detained them under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act to be questioned.

They were each charged with theft of €500 from Joshua Spurling, 23, at Aston Quay, Dublin 2, on January 21st. The student with Down syndrome, who is from Greystones, Co Wicklow, had been on a college trip to the city on that date.

Ruth Spurling, mother of the complainant, spoke on RTÉ's Liveline last week.

The girls, accompanied to the hearing by their mother and using an address in Co Dublin, have yet to enter pleas.

Garda Sergeant Robbie Byrne told Judge Brendan Toale that they "made no reply" when charged. They had to be given station bail on Thursday because of Storm Eowyn's impact on the court, which had to close the following day.

He asked for bail conditions to be imposed: provide proof of their address, stay out of the Dublin 2 area because the incident happened there, and sign on three times a week at their local garda station.

The defence counsel, Doireann McDonagh, argued that the signing-on term was unnecessary as the girls were juveniles and not at risk of failing to appear in court.

Judge Toale decided against including that condition but warned that they must remain out of Dublin 2 with the usual exception for attending for legal advice, and have to reside at the current home address.

He noted that gardaí needed to obtain directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions, adjourned the case for four weeks, and pointed out to the garda sergeant that "time is running" for the older girl who will turn 18 later this year.

The girls, who did not address the court, were granted free legal aid given their ages and the nature of the charges. Their mother spoke once to confirm that they were her daughters.