Serious safeguarding concerns have been raised by the leader of the TUV party after he learned of a “newcomer pupil” at the City of Armagh High School threatening to rape and “slice the throats” of 11-year-old girls.
MP Jim Allister said in his statement: “I have been shocked to learn of a case at City of Armagh High School in which a newcomer pupil threatened two 11-year-old girls with rape, with further threats to slit their throats.
“Despite the severity of these threats – and despite the pupil admitting to them – the school has decided that the boy will not be expelled but will return to the school following a prolonged suspension.”
Mr Allister was further taken aback when he says he learned that a 15-year-old female witness who bravely “broke the silence” did not have “due regard paid to her testimony”.
He added: “What is most staggering is the school’s handling of the investigation and complaints process.
“Throughout the process, the newcomer pupil was invited to give his account, yet the complainants – the children who received the threats – were not. That is an extraordinary and unacceptable failure of safeguarding.”
Mr Allister is calling on the Education Authority to take “immediate action” to ensure that its guidance for committee investigations guarantees that victims’ voices are heard – something he says the current framework does not require and has so “clearly failed to deliver in this case”.
“We stand firmly with the families affected by this violence against two young girls and will continue to support them as they take this case to the Public Service Ombudsman,” continued Mr Allister.
“We will not accept any attempt to whitewash or brush aside what has happened by the Board of Governors of City of Armagh High School, whose duty is to protect and uphold the safety of every student.”
Timothy Gaston, MLA raised this case in the TEO committee on March 4, 2026.
The MLA explained that he had had a “distraught mother” on the phone with him the night prior. She had informed him of a “safeguarding issue” that had taken place at a bus station in Armagh prior to Christmas.
He described in the meeting that a Year 8 pupil had signalled to a group of girls – two Year 8 girls and a Year 11 girl – that he was going to “rape and kill one of them”.
The school he said “rightly” suspended that child and the police diverted the case to the Youth Justice Agency.
The child then underwent a six week programme but would be taken back into the school.
He said: “If TEO is the best vehicle to deliver this programme can you talk me through how we can make an impact that that’s never going to happen again?”
He queried the Board of Governors’ decision to take that child back in without considering the impact of the victims. He also had concerns surrounding keeping all the children within the school safe when the child in question was returned to the premises.
A spokesperson for the City of Armagh High School said: “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.”
A spokesperson for the Education Authority 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.”
