Schoolgirls wrongly accused of shoplifting were ‘extremely upset and embarrassed’, court hears

FOUR PALS SCHOOLS that were wrongly accused of robbing at Northside SuperValu, Dublin, were extremely upset when a security guard insisted on searching their bags, a judge heard today.

Judge John O’Connor was told in Circuit Civil Court that the 12-year-old girls, including the twin sisters, had been arrested at the store in August 2018 and told they had been videotaped stealing. in the shop.

Lawyer Conor Kearney told the Circuit Civil Court that he recommended the acceptance of an offer of 5,000 euros each for defamation of the girls’ character by joint defendants Musgrave Operating Partners Ireland and Vigilant Security Services UK Limited.

Kearney, who appeared with attorneys for Gaffney Halligan, said the girls, now 14, were twins Faith and Leah Brady of Bunratty Road, Dublin 17; Rebecca Doherty, Clonshaugh Road, Clonshaugh, Dublin 17 and Tracey Ann Wynn, Castlekevin Road, Coolock, Dublin 17.

He told the judge that the four friends had been together at SuperValu in the Northside Mall, Coolock, when the security guard approached them.

The security guard had told them: “I have them on video… they are stealing. I want to search their bags. ”The lawyer said the girls were extremely upset and embarrassed and recommended that the court accept the settlement offers.

The twins had sued through their father Ciaran. Doherty had sued through his mother, Ciara, and Wynne had sued through his father, Keenan Wynne.

Judge O’Connor, accepting that the agreements were sufficient in each case, approved all the offers.