A staggering 17,000 teenagers are arrested on average each year – with up to 2,000 of these cases being brought before children’s courts in Ireland, according to the latest statistics available. The majority of these cases are heard at the Smithfield Children’s Court, which is officially known as ‘District Court 55’. Every day, a large crowd of youths, wearing the latest tracksuits, can be found gathering outside the court, swapping war stories and smoking endless amounts of

Minor Offences by Tom Tuite,/i> is out now, published by Gill & MacMillan.