Thursday 5 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 30294Sexual intercourse with a person under 17

Boy's sexual assault conviction upheld by Court of Appeal

In April 2019, a boy who was under 17 pulled down the trousers and pants of a six-year-old boy and smacked his bare bottom a number of times in a field near their homes. He was found guilty by a jury in December 2020 of one count of sexually assaulting the child and was sentenced in January 2021 to Probation Service supervision until November 2023. The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal on 25 August 2021, finding no prejudice from the delay in taking the case to trial. On the same day, a teacher jailed for a year for having sex with a fifth-year student under 17 was struck off the teaching register.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court25 Aug
  5. Convicted25 Aug
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
A boy who was under 17 pulled down the trousers and pants of a six-year-old boy and smacked his bare bottom a number of times.
Where
The incident took place in a local field adjacent to both boys' homes.
When
The incident occurred in April 2019.
Charges
The boy was found guilty by a jury in December 2020 of one count of sexually assaulting a six-year-old child.
In court
  • The boy was sentenced in January 2021 by Mr Justice Paul Coffey.
  • The Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice George Birmingham, dismissed the boy's appeal on 25 August 2021, finding no prejudice from the delay in taking the case to trial.
  • A teacher jailed for a year for having sex with a fifth-year student under 17 was struck off the teaching register by Ms Justice Mary Irvine on 25 August 2021.
  • The judge ruled that nothing should be reported that could identify the victim or the teacher, including their genders.
Sentence
The boy was placed under the supervision of the Probation Service until November 2023, when he turns 19.
Other details
  • The judge placed the offending at the lower end of the scale and dealt with it by way of a community sanction.
  • The boy is doing well in school and intends to go on to third level education.
  • The teacher was to be prevented from reapplying to the register for a minimum of 10 years.
15 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe boy was found guilty by a jury in December 2020 of one count of sexually assaulting a six-year-old child in April 2019. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe older boy pulled down the trousers and pants of the younger child and smacked his bare bottom a number of times. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe two boys were in a local field adjacent to both their homes when the incident occurred. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtMr Justice George Birmingham, President of the three-judge Court of Appeal, delivered the judgement. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe boy was sentenced in January 2021 by Mr Justice Paul Coffey. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe High Court president formally confirmed a recommendation to strike off the teacher from the teaching register. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe sanction was approved by Ms Justice Mary Irvine on Wednesday following an application on behalf of the Teaching Council. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe judge ruled that nothing should be reported that could identify the victim or the teacher, including their genders. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe boy was placed under the supervision of the Probation Service until November 2023, when he turns 19. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe teacher was jailed for a year after pleading guilty before the Circuit Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe judge placed the offending at the lower end of the scale and dealt with it by way of a community sanction. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe boy is doing well in school and intends to go on to third level education. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe student was a fifth-year student under 17 at the time of the offences. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe teacher was to be prevented from reapplying to the register for a minimum of 10 years. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 25 Aug2021
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Teacher jailed for having sex with student is struck off teaching register

    Reports the formal confirmation by High Court president Ms Justice Mary Irvine of the Teaching Council's recommendation to strike off the teacher and impose a 10-year reapplication ban, with an anonymity order preventing identification of the teacher and student including their genders.

    convictedvictim
  2. 25 Aug2021
    Convictedirishtimes.com, first report
    Teenager convicted for spanking neighbour loses appeal

    Reports the Court of Appeal's dismissal of the defendant's appeal against his sexual assault conviction, confirming the conviction and the January 2021 sentence of Probation Service supervision with conditions.

    victim, 6, maleconvicted, 16, male