Wednesday 28 October 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. 2472Professional misconduct (inappropriate messaging to students)

High Court removes teacher from professional register over inappropriate messages to students

A male secondary schoolteacher was removed from the register of teachers by order of the High Court after a Teaching Council panel found him guilty of three counts of professional misconduct for sending 700 pages of inappropriate messages to three 14-year-old male students between September 2022 and May 2023. Mr Justice David Barniville confirmed the sanction and barred the teacher from reapplying for three years.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted27 Jan
  6. Sentenced27 Jan
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
25 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatLapa pleaded guilty to attempted possession of cocaine for sale or supply with a market value of €13,000 or more (irishtimes.com)
  • what2.25 tonnes of cocaine was seized from the MV Matthew with an estimated value of more than €157 million (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe MV Matthew was boarded by the Army Rangers, a specialist wing of the Irish Defence Forces, in September 2023 (irishtimes.com)
  • whatJamie Harbron, 31, of Billingham, UK, previously pleaded guilty to attempted possession of cocaine for sale or supply (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe teacher was found guilty of three counts of professional misconduct (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe teacher sent a large volume of inappropriate messages to three male students (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe students were 14 years old (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA booklet contained 700 pages of messages (irishtimes.com)
  • whatMessages were found inappropriate in content, frequency and timing (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe panel found the conduct disgraceful and dishonourable (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSome messages were suggestive and capable of being construed by a minor in a sexual manner (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe teacher claimed the messages were banter or locker-room talk (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe messages came to light when a parent of one of the boys contacted the school (irishtimes.com)
  • whenMessages were sent between September 2022 and May 2023 (irishtimes.com)
  • whenA huge number of messages were sent late at night, at weekends and during school holidays (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeLapa also faced a charge of participating in a criminal organisation between July 15 and September 23, 2023 (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe six men are charged with drug trafficking offences at sea contrary to the Criminal Justice Act 1994 (irishtimes.com)
  • courtLapa was remanded in custody until 24 February for a mention hearing (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe other six men applied to the Special Criminal Court on 13 January to have charges dismissed, with a ruling due Thursday (irishtimes.com)
  • courtMr Justice David Barniville confirmed the sanction (irishtimes.com)
  • courtAn order was made prohibiting publication identifying the school, pupils or teacher (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe teacher was removed from the register of teachers (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe teacher will not be eligible to reapply for three years (irishtimes.com)
  • otherLapa's defence counsel said he was from Ukraine and had no ties to the jurisdiction (irishtimes.com)
  • otherLapa was the only accused who did not make an application under the Criminal Procedure Act to have his case dismissed (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 27 Jan2025
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    High Court removes teacher from professional register after hearing of inappropriate messaging

    High Court confirmed the Teaching Council's most serious sanction of removal from the register; teacher barred from reapplying for three years; anonymity order made for school, pupils and teacher.

    convicted, malevictim, 14, malevictim, 14, malevictim, 14, male
  2. 27 Jan2025
    Convictedirishtimes.com, follow-up
    MV Matthew trial: Man pleads guilty to drugs offence following largest cocaine seizure in Irish history

    Reports Lapa's guilty plea at the Special Criminal Court, details of the charge, the remand order, and the status of the other six co-accused's applications to dismiss charges.

    convicted, Vitaliy Lapa, 62, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Lapaaccused, Mykhailo Gavryk, 32, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishMykhailo Gavrykaccused, Vitaliy Vlasoi, 32, male, Ukrainian, named, non-irishVitaliy Vlasoiaccused, Soheil Jelveh, 51, male, Iranian, named, non-irishSoheil Jelvehaccused, Saeid Hassani, 39, male, Iranian, named, non-irishSaeid Hassaniaccused, Cumali Ozgen, 49, male, Dutch, named, non-irishCumali Ozgenaccused, Harold Estoesta, 31, male, Filipino, named, non-irishHarold Estoestaconvicted, Jamie Harbron, 31, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Jamie Harbron