Longford's Kids court recieves national award

Court can be a daunting place; most people who come in contact with judical proceedings for the first time can be overwhelmed.

This can be particularly true for young people, unless they are the ones sitting on the judges bench.

An initiative that brought speeding motorists to justice via a Kids Court has been 'trialled' in Longford since 2023.

Also Read: Longford authors have a host of books to offer this Christmas

One of the first courts was held in May of that year when drivers exceeding the speed limit outside Stonepark National School Longford were given the option to participate in an educational project aimed at changing drivers' behaviour around speeding, while giving young people an insight in the judicial system.

Drivers who were caught speeding in excess of the 50kmp/h zone were given two options, accept a fine and penalty points or face the Kids' Court, but only if the drivers were marginally over the speed limit.

In Kids' Court the offenders got a lesson from the young judges on the dangers of speeding and they also questioned about their behaviour and road safety knowledge.

Also Read: Santa visits Johnny's Cottage in Longford

The project was part of a scheme of the Community Safety Partnership, being run by the Department of Justice. Longford was one of three areas in the country where the partnership was being piloted.

Operating since May of 2023, and Longford Community Safety Partnership, in conjunction with Longford Community Policing Unit and Longford Roads Policing Unit have been running the Kids Court Road Safety Initiative with Primary Schools across the County.

The Kids Court Road Safety Initiative aims to encourage community participation in the judicial system and also address anti-social behaviour and criminality in an area, a core goal of the Community Safety Partnership.

Also Read: Longford's Maura loved her time on I'm a Celeb

Last Wednesday, at an event held in Dublin Castle, the Longford organisers of the Kids Court Road Safety Initiative won a National Award at the Road Safety Authority Leading Lights Awards Ceremony.

Pupils and teachers from St Matthew's Primary School, Ballymahon and the Sacred Heart Primary School, Granard, just two of the many schools who have taken part in this initiative, were on hand to accept the award.

Also in attendance were Janine Bartley and members of the Community Safety Partnership team together with retired Superintendent Seamus Boyle, Inspector Dave Jordan and Garda Anthony Scanlon from Longford and Granard Garda Stations.