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Sunday World
3 days ago
- Sunday World
Man allegedly groped female passenger on motorcycle, court told
The Belfast man was charged with sexual assault and common assault. Belfast Magistrates Court also heard that when the alleged victim's partner got off to remonstrate with Callum Fulton, the 25-year-old assaulted him. Appearing in the dock, handcuffed and wearing a police-issue grey tracksuit Fulton, of no fixed abode, was charged with sexual assault and common assault on 25 July this year. Giving evidence that he believed he could connect Fulton to the charges, a police officer told the court Fulton had just been freed on police bail in relation to another matter when the incident happened. Stock image. Photo: Getty News in 90 Seconds - July 26th The motorcycle had stopped in heavy traffic when Fulton allegedly 'grabbed the female passenger's backside.' 'The driver got off and challenged him about his behaviour and the defendant has punched him, thrown him to the ground and was trying to pull his helmet off the rider,' claimed the officer. As Fulton left the scene, the alleged victim followed him until police arrived and arrested the defendant. While the woman has been left 'feeling violated and dirty from the incident,' her partner sustained 'busted top and bottom lips.' The officer revealed that a short time before the incident, Fulton had been given police bail to reside with his grandmother with a condition from the woman that 'he behaves himself.' Given the latest allegations however, she had withdrawn her home as a bail address so effectively, Fulton is no fixed abode. Fulton's defence counsel said that according to the defendant, he was walking to his girlfriend's house on Sandy Row when 'he says he was assaulted by this injured party.' The barrister argued that with no history of sexual offending, that Fulton could be granted bail subject to an approved address. District Judge Amanda Henderson agreed and freeing Fulton on bail, she adjourned the case to 22 August.
Sunday World
3 days ago
- Sunday World
Cork woman in court over allegedly smuggling drugs into prison
Megan Walsh, 29, has six charges against her that were allegedly committed on July 25. A Cork woman appeared in court on drugs charges today after she was caught trying to smuggle them into a prison. Appearing at Ballymena Magistrates Court by video link from police custody, 29-year-old Megan Walsh confirmed she understood the six charges against her, alleged to have been committed on 25 July this year. Walsh, from Brook Avenue in Cork, faces two charges of conveying list A articles into HMP Magilligan, two charges of importing cannabis and pregabalin and possessing the Class B and Class C drugs. Stock image: Getty News in 90 Seconds - July 26th The court heard how Walsh was visiting a male at HMP Magilligan when two 'wraps' fell from her handbag. Those were seized and were found to contain herbal cannabis and 'buds,' a slang term for pregabalin. Arrested and interviewed, Walsh admitted she had got the train from Dundalk to Grand Central Station where she met a man and he gave her the two wraps. Walsh also admitted 'she wasn't sure what was inside them but she knew it was illegal,' District Judge Peter Magill told the court, adding that she 'refused to provide' any details or description of the man she met. Having heard that Walsh has a clear record, the judge highlighted that 'here's the thing, if this goes on indictment that will take a considerable period of time.' 'Even if she pleads guilty, it will take months to get to a Crown Court and with a clear record, I'm not sure she will get a custodial sentence but by the time it's dealt with, she will have served a significant custodial sentence,' Judge Magill explained. Defence counsel Gavin Cairns suggested that Walsh could be bailed to reside with her friend in Enniskillen, even in the short term, and that would allow her to find an alternative accommodation 'or to lodge a cash surety to alleviate police concerns.' Granting bail in the sum of £250 with a condition that Walsh resides at Villa Terrace in Enniskillen, Judge Magill warned that if Walsh chose to go back to Cork without permission, 'if she's foolish enough to do that,' she runs the risk of being held in custody while 'potentially drawn out' extradition proceedings are set in train. The case was adjourned to 18 August.
Sunday World
13-07-2025
- Sunday World
Hundreds of prisoners released early to ease overcrowding
Freed inmates include 46 who were jailed for attempts or threats to murder, assault and harassment Hundreds of criminals convicted of drug offences and theft are being given temporary release to ease the overcrowding crisis in Irish jails. Figures released by the Irish Prison Service (IPS) show that 46 prisoners in jail for attempts or threats to murder, assault and harassment were also set free with conditions over their release. The number of inmates being offered temporary release has risen sharply over the past two years due to chronic overcrowding in prisons. Data on the type of offenders granted temporary release show more than 580 people were released on a date in the middle of May. Overcrowding is a serious problem in Irish jails. Photo: Getty News in 90 Seconds - Sunday July 13 The largest group of offenders were people convicted of controlled drug offences — including possession and dealing — of whom 157 criminals were released. There were a further 152 people on the streets who were serving sentences for theft, while 72 doing time for road and traffic offences were given temporary release. There was a single person in prison for a homicide offence granted temporary release while nine others convicted of robbery, extortion, or hijacking were let loose. A total of 36 people serving sentences for burglary and related offences were freed, as well as 40 prisoners found guilty of fraud, deception, or similar offences. Five people in prison for weapons and explosives offences were given temporary release, along with 12 serving sentences for offences against the State or organised crime. The Dóchas Centre in Dublin The Department of Justice has been repeatedly warned by both the director general of the IPS and the Prison Officers Association of the serious risk to staff and those behind bars because of packed prisons. Figures from the IPS also show that female prisoners are far more likely to be granted temporary release than males. Of the 584 people on temporary release in mid-May, 131 of them were women while 453 were men — but female criminals generally make up significantly less than 10pc of the overall prison population. The data showed 39 women were on temporary release from the women's wing of Limerick Prison, while 92 from the Dóchas Centre in Dublin were freed. The number of prisoners on temporary release at Mountjoy Men's Prison was 186. The IPS said two individuals serving sentences of over 10 years were let free from jail early. One of them was a man in Mountjoy Prison who was in jail for an attempt or threat to murder, or assault or harassment. Another woman from the adjoining Dóchas Centre was given temporary release from her 10-year sentence for a fraud offence. The figures cover the day of May 13, when overall there were 5,350 people in custody including 375 people sleeping on mattresses. There were a further 1,015 individuals in the system who were on trial or on remand, leaving the IPS to manage 6,119 people. At that time, it officially had space for just 4,666 prisoners and were operating at 115pc capacity with temporary release one of the only options available to manage the volume. A spokesman said the IPS had to accept into custody all people who had been committed to prison by the courts. He said the service was currently operating at 118pc capacity with 446 prisoners sleeping on mattresses and 586 on temporary release.
Sunday World
10-07-2025
- Sunday World
Teacher had sex with Leaving Cert student in her mother's bed, tribunal told
She told a fitness-to-teach inquiry that at one point he said it would be 'hot' if she wore her school uniform during sex A schoolteacher had sex with a Leaving Cert student in her mother's bed and his car after sharing explicit photos with her on Snapchat, it is alleged. The then 18-year-old said she was 'naive and vulnerable' when her class head teacher started an inappropriate relationship with her in the months before she sat her exams. She told a fitness-to-teach inquiry that at one point he said it would be 'hot' if she wore her school uniform during sex. It is further alleged that on their sixth year graduation night, he kissed the complainant's best friend, who described the teacher's behaviour as 'predatory.' The man is accused of professional misconduct and breaching the Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers, which he denies. The inquiry is being held by the Teaching Council following a complaint by a student known as Ms A, now in her 20s. It is alleged the teacher inappropriately communicated with her on Snapchat between October 2017 and June 2018, and sent her messages, photos, pictures and memes of an inappropriate and sexual nature between January and June, 2018. He is alleged to have provided her with alcohol and had an inappropriate sexual relationship with her between March and June that year. Further allegations relate to her friend, Ms B, who he allegedly touched and kissed in a pub in May 2018. Stock image: Getty News in 90 Seconds - July 10th Ms A said the teacher had given her maths grinds in 2017 but 'nothing untoward' happened. He added her on Snapchat late that year and as they exchanged messages, it was not her intention for anything romantic to happen, but she continued out of curiosity. The teacher was aged 28 at the time and had two children. 'I knew it was weird to speak to a teacher over Snapchat and I shouldn't be doing it,' Ms A said. He complimented her and joked about 'going off with a student.' The frequency and intimacy of the messages slowly increased and he started making sexual advances towards her, the inquiry heard. He 'tested the waters of what he could say to me' and as she became more responsive, it 'escalated' and they exchanged explicit photos. 'He would send me d**k pics of his genitals and I would send him nude pictures in return,' she said. He would 'encourage my alcohol use, knowing it would lower my inhibitions', saying 'you will be horny', she alleged. She said he told her she was better looking than her friends and asked about her boyfriend, saying to her: 'What are you doing with him?' She 'knew it was wrong' and felt that she cared more about the repercussions than she did, she said. She had mental health issues and was coping in ways that were 'wrong and unhealthy.' They first met after school in March 2018 when he dropped her home in his car, she continued. The next day, she alleged they went to her house while she was drunk and her mother was out. 'I kind of knew this was where it was going, it felt inevitable,' she said. 'I still had a bunk bed so we went into my mother's bed and had sex.' She alleged he later said of her boyfriend: 'Just tell him that you f**ked a teacher in your mam's bed.' When they allegedly had sex in his car, she 'felt reluctant and awkward' and she did not like 'the clunkiness of it.' She said it was 'too real' for her and she recalled being able to see his child's car seat, where he left a bottle of vodka he bought her. She said he told her they had not had sex while she was in her school uniform, saying 'that would be hot'. They also had sex in his apartment, she said. Some of the messages alleged to have been between the teacher and Ms A were retrieved, barrister Neasa Bird, for the director of the Teaching Council, said. In one message the man allegedly told Ms A his mother was asking if he was seeing an 'old one' and he told her 'no, she's the complete opposite, ha ha, a young one'. According to the message, his mother replied: 'Please say she's f**king legal.' Ms A said she believed he thought this was 'hilarious.' 'To be fair, your mother's allowed to drink your wine since we rode in her bed and her couch hahahahaha,' he allegedly said in another message. Ms A told the inquiry he responded to a nude photo she sent: 'hahaha love it.' Other messages read 'Should f**k soon', 'car sex later'.' Ms B said on graduation night in May 2018, she was walking upstairs when the teacher 'slapped my bum two to three times.' As they sat talking alone, she said, he played with the bow on her dress, saying he would like to undo it. Later, they were alone again in a dark corner when he kissed her and she did not pull away. She left and was surprised he had done this on her graduation night, but 'he had always given off a creepy vibe.' She said he added her on Snapchat and sent her a message: 'you should have come back to mine.' He continued to contact her with a 'flirty undertone,' she said. He allegedly sent a screenshot of an Instagram follow request from another student with the comment 'she wants it.' He also sent her a 'd**k pic' of his genitals, she said. Ms B said she blocked him because he 'had given me the creeps' but when he asked why, added him again because she felt she had to. Ms A said when she realised he was sending them both the same messages, she sent Ms B a 'sugarcoated' letter telling her about the relationship without disclosing its sexual nature. Ms Bird, for the director of the council, said the teacher had made submissions maintaining the complaint against him 'lacks detail'. He was not required to be present at the inquiry, and Ms Bird read from the submissions. In them, he stated allegations from Ms A including that he kissed her best friend on graduation night were not corroborated. He noted that the letter Ms A sent to Ms B stated 'nothing sexual occurred'. He said there were 'significant doubts' as to the credibility of her account, her case was a 'weak one' and there was 'no public interest' in referring it to inquiry. There was 'nothing to suggest he had anything other than an exemplary record of teaching,' he submitted. The inquiry continues next week.
Sunday World
23-06-2025
- Sunday World
Two men charged with attempted murder after daylight machete attack in town
Both men are due to appear at Downpatrick Magistrates Court today Two men, aged 60 and 30 years old, have both been charged with attempted murder in relation to a machete attack in Co Down. They are also both charged with possession of an offensive weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence. Both men are due to appear at Downpatrick Magistrates Court today. As is normal procedure, all charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service. The charges are in relation to a report of a serious assault of a man at the Tipperary Lane area of Newcastle on Saturday (June 21). Map showing location of Tipperary Lane in Newcastle, Co Down (Google Maps) The victim was left with serious injuries to his face, hands and legs after being assaulted with what is believed to have been a machete, police previously said. The incident happened at around 12:40pm in the afternoon. The suspects made off from the scene but were later detained by officers in the Bunkers Hill area. Stock photo: Getty News in 90 Seconds - Monday June 23
