CHILD NEGLECT | 

Dad jailed after young child found wandering the street in pyjamas

The defendant, who cannot be named to protect his child, admitted multiple counts of neglect of a child.

Today at 02:30

A young child who was repeatedly found more than 1km from his home had “a mind of his own” and would “disappear out the front door”, a court heard.

The child’s father, who is in his 40s, said the lock on the front door was damaged and the boy would head for the door and make his way out. The lock had since been replaced and the boy was no longer able to wander.

Judge Gerard Jones imposed a 10-month sentence.

The defendant, who cannot be named to protect his child, admitted multiple counts of neglect of a child.

Blanchardstown District Court heard how the boy was found in his pyjamas about 11 minutes from his home on July 3, 2021.

The child got on a Dublin Bus on June 29, 2021, and went upstairs, before getting off and running in front of a car. The car clipped the child, but he did not suffer any injuries.

The boy was found wandering nine minutes from his home on June 17, 2021, and then 19 minutes from his home on June 1, 2021.

On August 13, 2020, the boy was found in his pyjamas 2km or 17 minutes from his home.

Simon Fleming, defending, said that on some occasions the man was not even at home, but he accepted the child was his responsibility. The front door lock was broken at the time, and the child had “a mind of his own” and would wander out the front door, the court heard.

The lock had since been repaired, and there had been no incidents recently.

Mr Fleming said the child was not physically neglected, and was still living with the man and his partner.