Schoolgirl Held Over Garda Car Ram

A 16-year-old schoolgirl is being held by Gardai for probation violation, after she was a passenger in a stolen car which twice rammed gardaí.

The troubled teen girl was released on supervisory probation in October last year for one-year at the Dublin Children's Court.

The girl had breached her probation bond, had repeatedly gone missing and had tested positive for illegal drug-use, including cocaine and heroin, 12 times.

The girl, whom the court had heard suffered from depression, had admitted travelling as a passenger in a stolen car, on October 1 2006, at Pine Forest Road, Glencullen in south Co. Dublin, skipping court and a petty theft shoplifting offence.

Pleading for bail, defence counsel Ms Kate Dawson said there was a "long history to this case". She added: "There have been a number of concerns from different agencies, the HSE has been involved. She had been in a foster care placement, that went well, as a result of that she was put on the probation bond. She knows she messed up."

Judge Leonard refused bail and remanded the girl, who was accompanied to court by her mother, in custody for two weeks.

(DW/JM)