The Children's Court: The mother stomped out of the courtroom muttering darkly to herself. Her 13-year-old son, already facing a number of public order charges, trailed behind with his head bowed, writes Carl O'Brien
Outside the courtroom, and within earshot of the judge, the mother roared at her son with a string of expletives as the boy looked gloomily around him.
Judge Michael Connellan's eyes widened as the sharp exchange echoed around the courtroom.
"Bring that woman back into the court!" he snapped.
"What does she mean by using that language in the court."
The mother, dressed in a white tracksuit and carrying a pink bag, entered the court with a worried frown.
"I will not tolerate this kind of language in the court, do you understand? You don't do that in the court," the judge said.
With a crimson face, the woman responded aggressively: "I was giving out to him because I'm sick of him."
The blonde-haired boy, wearing a grey sports jacket several sizes too big for him, stood pitifully by the door of the court.
The judge had earlier expressed surprise at how much trouble the boy was involved in at such a young age.
"Look at all these sheets he's accumulated at the age of 13," he said, flicking through a bundle of ink-stained paperwork.
"If he breaks any of the bail conditions, I'll look after him alright."
Yesterday, however, many children's parents did not appear in Court 55, as required by law.
Judge Connellan adjourned most of the cases, warning that he would issue bench warrants for their arrest if they failed to appear on the next hearing date.
When two 17-year-olds appeared before the court, the judge asked why their parents were not present.
"My mother's in hospital," explained one. "My father is in hospital," the other chimed, "and my Ma is looking after a sick child."
Judge Connellan, looking around him, said wryly that there seemed to be an awful rush into hospital this morning.
"I'm not prepared to deal with these cases when their parents are not in court," he said.
"They don't want to come in.
The Act says they have to come
in - they're responsible for their children.
"I'll put it back for two weeks to enable the parents to attend court," the judge added, writing the order.
"If not, I'll issue a warrant for their arrest," the judge said.
The next defendant to appear before the judge was a youngster up for theft and criminal damage charges.
"I'm not dealing with this," the judge said.
"If they're not here on the next day, out goes a warrant."
In another case this week the father of a child from Tallaght, who has appeared in court dozens of times, sighed in frustration as his 15-year-old son's case was adjourned again.
"What if he pleads guilty? Will that speed things up?" said the father, with tired eyes.
Looking at his son, charged with two counts of theft, he said: "So, are you going to plead guilty or not guilty?"
His son, looking embarrassed, said not guilty.
The father looked towards the judge expectantly.
However, there were different gardaí involved in the charges and it would have to be adjourned to later in the month.
"The father should look after him in the meantime," the judge said in concerned tones as he filled out some court documents.
"I'm trying," he said, nodding aggressively, his teeth beginning to show. "I'm trying."