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	A 16-year-old boy, who has possible suicidal ideation and who is addicted to aerosols, has been remanded in custody &ldquo;for his own protection&rdquo; even though the law does not allow for incarceration for the sole reason of self-protection, a children&rsquo;s court in Kerry has heard.</p>
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	However, there was no bed available at an adolescent treatment centre yesterday.</p>
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	However, Judge James O&rsquo;Connor said the &ldquo;right thing to do&rdquo; was to make sure the boy did not have access to aerosols, so as to protect the boy from himself.</p>
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	The judge remanded the boy in custody until a bed was available next week at an adolescent addiction treatment centre.</p>
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	He was to remain at the detention centre for a week.</p>
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	He had initially been arrested more than two weeks ago for allegedly stealing aerosols after breaching bail conditions.</p>
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	The boy faces seven charges between May 21 and June 17, including three charges in relation to stealing several cans of deodorant, a breach of the peace, a single assault charge, intoxication, and criminal damage.</p>
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	The case was heard in the judge&rsquo;s chambers after the boy was brought to court from the Dublin centre.</p>
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	Insp Donal Ashe applied for further custody for a week. The boy&rsquo;s mother consented to the application for the boy&rsquo;s own protection. She said her soon &ldquo;looked far better this week than last week&rdquo;.</p>
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	She told Judge O&rsquo;Connor: &ldquo;I think if you leave him out, his addiction is too big, too deep, and if he could get another week he would be clean.&rdquo;</p>
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	The HSE, interim guardians of the boy, said the Aislinn Centre in Kilkenny did not have a bed available.</p>
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	A HSE solicitor said a medical report pointed to risks of suicidal ideation.</p>
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	The boy&rsquo;s solicitor, Pa Daly, meanwhile, said the boy did not want to be remanded to Trinity House and preferred the Aislinn Centre, to seek addiction treatment.</p>
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	&ldquo;Two weeks ago before this court, this was presented as a life-and-death situation,&rdquo; said Mr Daly. &ldquo;We were told he had to be put into detention because of fear he would kill himself.&rdquo;</p>
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	However, Judge O&rsquo;Connor said what had been canvassed was self-harm, not suicide.</p>
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	Mr Daly said if people with drug addictions were in custody for their own protection, prisons would be bursting at the seams.</p>
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	However, the judge said the primary concern was for the boy. The law did made no provision for a remand in custody, he said, but it was incarceration was required for the boy&rsquo;s sake.</p>
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	The right thing to do, he said, was to make sure the boy did not access aerosols.</p>
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	Following requests form the judge, the HSE returned to the children&rsquo;s court to advise a place would be available for the boy in Kilkenny from July 8.</p>
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	<a href="http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/aerosol-addiction-teen-in-custody-for-his-own-safety-340164.html">http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/aerosol-addiction-teen-in-custody-for-his-own-safety-340164.html</a></p>
