Withdrawal statement

muddled1

My teenage minor child (A) was assaulted by another teenage minor child (B). The start of the altercation wasn't witnessed by anyone except another minor child accompanying B (C). I assisted my child (A) to report the assault to the Gardai. The Gard asked us to think about what reporting the assault would entail (this is where I should have asked questions) and if we wanted to go ahead with the statement to return the following day. All my child and I want is for B to stay away from A. The Gard visited B and B's family and B stated that A started it (I knew this would happen!). My child and I just want B to stay away and there is to be no contact between the families. We were not aware that A's statement started the ball rolling for ?prosecution. My child and I don't want B prosecuted, just to stay away and hopefully wise up ad stop assaulting other teenagers (this is the 3rd assault that we know of, but the other 2 assaults were not reported to Gards). Gard says she doesn't know who to believe.

Since we don't want anything more than the "No contact", the Gard said I need to bring A to complete a Withdrawal Statement. I can't find anything definitive on net about this. A's statement was true and we want it kept on record should anything else happen. What does a Withdrawal Statement mean? We don't want anyone to infer that A wasn't telling the truth.

Thanks

johnnyskeleton

muddled1 wrote: »

My teenage minor child (A) was assaulted by another teenage minor child (B). The start of the altercation wasn't witnessed by anyone except another minor child accompanying B (C). I assisted my child (A) to report the assault to the Gardai. The Gard asked us to think about what reporting the assault would entail (this is where I should have asked questions) and if we wanted to go ahead with the statement to return the following day. All my child and I want is for B to stay away from A. The Gard visited B and B's family and B stated that A started it (I knew this would happen!). My child and I just want B to stay away and there is to be no contact between the families. We were not aware that A's statement started the ball rolling for ?prosecution. My child and I don't want B prosecuted, just to stay away and hopefully wise up ad stop assaulting other teenagers (this is the 3rd assault that we know of, but the other 2 assaults were not reported to Gards). Gard says she doesn't know who to believe.

Since we don't want anything more than the "No contact", the Gard said I need to bring A to complete a Withdrawal Statement. I can't find anything definitive on net about this. A's statement was true and we want it kept on record should anything else happen. What does a Withdrawal Statement mean? We don't want anyone to infer that A wasn't telling the truth.

Thanks

You can't have it both ways. Unfortunately there is no half measure between no action and a prosecution, and the statement cannot be kept on record for the purpose you describe. A withdrawal statement can specify the reasons why he no liger wishes to proceed, but without it the Garda could get into bother with his/her superiors.

muddled1

Thanks for that. With the withdrawal statement we were able to get a "No contact" between the two, which was the best we were hoping for. My teenager expressed that it was not wished to get the other teenager in trouble with the law, but that it was high time the other backed off and kept her fists to herself.