Teacher (24) in court over alleged defilement of male student at Dublin school

A female teacher (24) has appeared in court for a second time charged with the alleged defilement of a teenage boy who was a student in her school.

The woman appeared on Wednesday before Swords District Court, where she was previously charged with two offences under Section 3(1) of the Criminal Law Sexual Offences Act 2006 that on February 1st and on February 13th this year she engaged in a sex act with a child under the age of 17.

The court was told that directions were still being awaited from the Director of Public Prosecutions in the case.

A solicitor for the woman asked that the case be put back to February 13th, 2019.

"We are hoping that directions will be available on that date," the solicitor told Judge Martin Dempsey.

The solicitor noted members of the media were in court and she asked the judge remind them that a previous order that the woman not be identified be carried forward.

Judge Dempsey reminded reporters that his previous order from an October appearance by the woman was to continue.

The woman did not speak during the short proceedings. She left the court shortly afterward accompanied by another young woman and was driven away in a waiting car.

The court heard in October the teacher was arrested by gardaí at Dublin Airport on Sunday, October 28th, after returning to Ireland on a flight.

Judge Dempsey remanded the teacher on bail on that occasion. Bail was granted with a number of conditions, including that she surrender her passport and not apply for a new one.

She was also to provide gardaí with a phone number at which she was to be contactable at all times.

The judge also granted an application for legal aid as the defendant’s solicitor said her client had lost her job.

The woman must not have any contact with the alleged victim or any other witnesses engaged in the case.