A female teacher has been charged with sexually abusing a schoolboy in Northern Ireland.
Judith Evans, 33, from Newtownabbey, will stand trial later this year over sexual offences she is accused of committing against a male pupil.
Ms Evans, who taught at Belfast Boys’ Model School, appeared at Belfast Crown Court last Wednesday to deny 11 charges.
The Belfast Telegraph reported that she can now be named after her lawyers failed in a last-minute attempt to prevent her being identified as the defendant.
Confirmed her identity
During last week’s hearing, Ms Evans was accompanied in the dock by Adrian Harvey, her solicitor, and confirmed her identity to a court clerk before denying the charges spanning a four-month period earlier this year.
It is alleged that between March 1 and May 17, Ms Evans communicated with a child “for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification”.
When asked how she pleaded, she replied: “Not guilty.”
She is also accused of two counts of meeting a child following sexual grooming over the same time period and pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Ms Evans also denied two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two counts of intentionally engaging in sexual touching involving penetration with a child.
She denies one count of causing a child to look at an image of a person engaging in sexual activity “for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification”.
The secondary school teacher entered pleas of not guilty to two counts of possessing an indecent image of the pupil.
Accused of perverting the course of justice
She is also accused of perverting the course of justice between June 13 and 27 this year by allegedly making a false allegation of sexual assault against the boy, to which she pleaded not guilty.
Laura Ivers KC, representing Ms Evans, told Judge Patricia Smyth that the defence was seeking forensic and psychiatric reports ahead of a trial.
No further details about the alleged offending emerged during the arraignment but Mr Harvey told a previous hearing that his client claims she was a victim in the encounters with the schoolboy.
He said his client “is also a complainant in relation to these proceedings” and he confirmed she has been suspended by the school.
Released on continuing bail
Judge Patricia Smyth, the Recorder of Belfast, set a Nov 4 trial date and agreed to a defence request for the defendant to be released on continuing bail.
Ms Evans was named after her lawyers argued on Friday that she should not be identified for several reasons including that she herself had made a criminal complaint and concerns over her mental health.
They also argued naming her might risk identification of the schoolboy and risked prejudicing the administration of justice.
However Fergal McGoldrick, representing Northern Irish newspapers the Sunday Life and the Belfast Telegraph, objected, arguing there was no legal basis to prevent her identification given the charges she faces.
Importance of open justice
Judge Smyth, citing the importance of open justice, declined to make any order preventing Ms Evans being identified.
She allowed the teacher’s legal representatives until 6pm on Saturday to provide evidence from a psychiatrist and any further argument.
However on Saturday evening, Ms Evans confirmed no further argument would be made.
Source Agencies
