Teen Sisters Face Higher Court Trial for Targeting Vulnerable Adults in Dublin

Two teenage sisters who allegedly “targeted” and “befriended” two vulnerable adults in Dublin city centre before stealing large sums of money have been sent forward for trial to the Circuit Court.

The judge at the Dublin Children’s Court ruled that the cases were too serious to be heard at the juvenile level, as the Circuit Court possesses wider sentencing powers. The girls, aged 16 and 18, cannot be named because one is a minor and the second was a minor at the time of the alleged offence.

Allegations and Victims

The sisters were formally charged with false imprisonment and theft following two separate incidents that occurred on successive days in January:

• First Victim (January 21st): The teens are accused of the false imprisonment and theft of €500 from Joshua Spurling, 23, a student with Down syndrome from Greystones. Mr. Spurling was allegedly convinced he was helping the “homeless” girls before being led to an ATM to withdraw cash.  
• Second Victim (January 20th): They are also accused of stealing sums totalling €703 from a young man with autism and mild intellectual issues. The victim was described as “extremely literal” and unable to comprehend the concept of lying, which the sisters allegedly exploited by claiming they were homeless and hungry.  

Planned and Targeted Approaches

Gardaí told the court that the approaches were “planned” and “targeted” the vulnerable complainants.

• In Mr. Spurling’s case, the younger sister allegedly first approached him claiming to have no money. The older sister then joined and, despite being initially stopped by security staff, they later led him to a bank machine to withdraw the money.
• In the case of the second complainant, the sisters allegedly brought him to two shops and had him buy various goods, including crystal glasses, after convincing him of their “homeless” status.  

Court Orders and Next Steps

The sisters have not yet entered pleas. They were served with the prosecution’s books of evidence and remain on strict bail conditions, including:  

• They must remain outside Dublin 2, except for legal meetings.  
• They are prohibited from approaching people with intellectual disabilities or any educational courses they attend.  

They are scheduled to appear again before the Circuit Court on December 18th.