The City of Armagh High School and the Education Authority (EA) have issued statements following serious safeguarding concerns raised by TUV leader Jim Allister KC in relation to threats allegedly made against pupils from the school.
Mr Allister said he had been “shocked” to learn of a case involving a “newcomer pupil” at City of Armagh High School who allegedly threatened two 11-year-old girls with rape and further threatened to “slice their throats”.
Mr Allister claimed that, despite the gravity of the alleged threats – which he said the pupil admitted – the boy would not be expelled and was instead due to return to school following a prolonged suspension.
He further alleged that the testimony of a 15-year-old female witness who “broke the silence” had not been given proper weight, and criticised how the school’s complaints and investigation processes were handled.
He has called on the Education Authority to take “immediate action” to ensure that its guidance for complaints and committee investigations is strengthened to guarantee that victims’ voices are fully heard. The families involved, he said, intend to take the case to the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman.
In response, a spokesperson for City of Armagh High School said the safety and wellbeing of pupils remained paramount, but stressed that the school could not comment on individual cases.
“We recognise that this has been a very difficult time for families involved and want to assure them that the safety and wellbeing of all children in our school is our absolute priority.
“While it would not be appropriate for us to comment on individual cases, concerns of this nature are taken extremely seriously in line with our safeguarding and complaints policies, working with the Education Authority and relevant statutory agencies.
“A full investigation was carried out through the school’s established complaints process which is led by the Board of Governors.
“This is a confidential process, however, any complainant who remains dissatisfied with the outcome has the right to refer their case to the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman.
“We remain fully committed to ensuring every pupil is safe and supported.”
The Education Authority confirmed it is aware of the concerns raised and is continuing to engage with the school, but likewise declined to discuss the specifics of the case.
A spokesperson for the EA said: “We are aware of the serious concerns raised and will continue to work closely to support the school.
“Issues relating to complaints and also to the safety, welfare and behaviour of individual pupils are dealt with under established guidance and procedures. It would not be appropriate for us to comment publicly on individual cases.”
The case was also raised in the Assembly’s Executive Office Committee on March 4, 2026, by TUV MLA Timothy Gaston. During that meeting, Mr Gaston referred to contact he had received from a “distraught mother” regarding what he described as a “safeguarding issue” at a bus station in Armagh prior to Christmas.
He told the committee that a Year 8 boy had allegedly indicated to a group of girls – two in Year 8 and one in Year 11 – that he was going to “rape and kill one of them”. Mr Gaston said the pupil had been suspended by the school and that police had diverted the matter to the Youth Justice Agency, where the boy then completed a six‑week programme before being allowed to return to school.
Questioning what he described as a decision by the Board of Governors to readmit the pupil “without considering the impact on the victims”, Mr Gaston raised wider concerns about how all pupils could be kept safe in such circumstances and asked how programmes delivered under the Executive Office could ensure incidents of this nature are prevented in future.
The families involved have indicated they are pursuing the matter with the Public Services Ombudsman.
