Teacher accused of defiling teenager says she ‘met him in over-18s nightclub’

A female teacher (24) accused of engaging in a sex act with a teenage boy told a Garda detective “I met him in an over 18s nightclub” when she was further charged on Wednesday morning.

The teacher appeared on Wednesday before Swords District Court, where she was previously charged with two offences under Section 3(1) of the Criminal Sexual Offences Act 2006 that on February 1st and February 13th, 2018 she engaged in a sex act with a child under the age of 17.

The woman was arrested on October 28th by gardaí at Dublin Airport, after returning to Ireland on a flight.

Detective Garda Stephen Hughes told the court on Wednesday morning he further charged the young woman on earlier Wednesday morning with four new offences.

Garda Hughes said the woman made no reply to three of the charges but in reply to the fourth charge she said: “I met him in an over-18s nightclub”.

Garda Hughes said the DPP had directed trial on indictment in the circuit court on the charges. He said existing bail could be extended.

Bail was previously granted with a number of conditions, including that the woman surrender her passport and not apply for a new one.

She was also to provide gardaí with a phone number at which she was contactable at all times. The woman must also not have any contact with the alleged victim or any other witnesses engaged in the case.

Legal aid was previously granted after the court heard the young woman had lost her job.

Judge Miriam Walsh remanded the woman on continuing bail until April 10th for the service of the book of evidence.

Defence solicitor Emer O’Sullivan raised concerns that a photographer had “stuck his camera right up under her [the accused’s] face” on her way into the courthouse.

Judge Walsh told the court no details were to be printed that identified the woman and no photographs of her published. The woman did not address the court.