A 16-year-old school girl was awarded €10,000.00 in damages in the Circuit Civil Court for defamation of character.

The teenager was followed around a shop and told it was because she had stolen from it previously. The manager later apologised to the teens mother for any misunderstanding

Judge O’Connor was satisfied that the details of the incident would have been known publicly in the area and as the evidence was unopposed by the defendants, the court must allow her claim.

Counsel for the defendants stated there was no suggestion the teen was or had been a thief