The member of An Garda Síochána who excluded journalists from a children’s court hearing in an assault case has apologised for the mistake.
Judge Brian O'Shea called journalists Marie O'Halloran of The Irish Times and Allison Bray of the Irish Independent to a special sitting of the District Court on Wednesday to determine why they were excluded from a bail hearing the previous day.
The judge said the garda responsible should contact the journalists and apologise. He contacted Ms O’Halloran yesterday and apologised.
The judge said there were “no circumstances where a journalist should not be allowed into court for a section two bail hearing”.
A 15-year-old boy had appeared in relation to an assault on a 25-year-old woman at Queen’s Road, Dún Laoghaire, last Saturday.
The teenager has been charged under the Offences Against the Person Act and under the Firearms Act for the possession of a knife.
Bail was refused on Tuesday because gardaí fear he may commit murder if released.