TEACHER ACCUSED OVER ‘SEX ACT’ WITH TEEN BOY

Woman, 24, in court on pupil rap

A FEMALE teacher appeared in court yesterday accused of a sex act with a child.

The 24-year-old defendant is charged with the defilement of a teenage pupil at the North Co Dublin school where she previously worked.

A lawyer for the woman told Judge Dermot Dempsey a further adjournment was needed in the case as “directions” had yet to be received from the DPP.

He adjourned the hearing February 13 next year.

The teacher sat at the back of the court flanked by a woman and a man during the short hearing.

The accused had been arrested at Dublin Airport’s Terminal One in October by gardai probing the alleged incident as she returned on a flight.

The woman, who is living in a North Co Dublin town, is charged with engaging in a sex act with a child on dates between February 1 and February 13.

The court heard the accused, who until cannot be named for legal reasons, made no reply after the charge.

At the first hearing Judge Dempsey granted an application for legal aid as the defendant’s solicitor said her client had lost her job recently.

The judge granted bail with a number of conditions that included she surrenders her passport and does not apply for a new document.

She must also provide gardai with a phone number to be contactable at all times.

Officers said they had seized the woman’s mobile and she would have to obtain another phone.

She also must not have any contact with the alleged victim or any other witnesses in the case.

A garda asked for a ban on reporting the identity of the accused or any information that might reveal the victim.

The order was made under Section 30 of the Sexual Offences Act.

He said: “This is due to the nature of the offence.”