Gardaí investigating an alleged sexual assault on a boy at a prestigious west Dublin boarding school are now trying to establish if any similar incidents had happened there in the past.

A major garda investigation continues into allegations that a 13-year-old pupil was sexually assaulted with a hockey stick in the dormitory of King's Hospital school in Palmerstown on Thursday of last week.

Last night, a senior source said that "everything was being looked at" and this must include questioning whether any similar offences had occurred in the same school in previous years.

"Everything is being looked at here, including if similar incidents happened in that same location in the past," the source said.

Gardaí have not yet formally interviewed any of the eight male pupils who have been suspended since the shocking allegation came to light.

However, officers are expected to analyse mobile phones belonging to some of the young teenagers after reports that the assault had been recorded on at least two devices. Gardaí fear that key evidence may have been compromised after the boarding school crime was not reported to officers until Tuesday of this week.

Expand Close King's Hospital school Photo: Damien Eagers / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp King's Hospital school Photo: Damien Eagers

And last night fresh questions also emerged over when the alleged sexual assault was reported to child protection authorities.

The school was obliged to report the alleged incident "without delay" to Tusla, but it has not yet clarified when it did so.

And Tusla said that if there was any issue with out-of-hours child protection referrals, then the school should have contacted gardaí.

It is understood the school made attempts to contact social workers at the Tusla Cherry Orchard office on Friday and again on Monday morning.

This is in line with protocol that alleged incidents must be notified to local area social workers.

The €16,000-a-year fee school confirmed in a statement that An Garda Síochána and Tusla were investigating an alleged incident.

"We cannot make any statement which might prejudice those investigations.

"However, it is imperative that certain inaccuracies reported in the media which have caused understandable anxiety to parents of our pupils and to the wider public are corrected.

"The safety, health and welfare of the student concerned, and all students, have from the very outset been and will continue to be the priority for every member of staff at The King's Hospital," it said.

"The management and staff have actioned the correct procedures and requirements, including liaising with the appropriate agencies.

"We also ensured that the parents of the alleged victim and of the students allegedly involved were briefed as soon as possible.

"At no stage did the management and staff fail to act on legal advice.

"Neither did the school seek advice from the State agencies by using hypothetical scenarios.

"The King's Hospital will not make any further comment until the investigations are complete."

The statement did not refer to when the alleged incident was reported to Tusla.

A spokeswoman for Tusla said it did not comment on individual cases. But she said that "out-of-office-hours child protection referrals should be directed to the gardaí in the first instance".

Concerns

She said that all child protection concerns were screened and assessed in line with Children First, and "Tusla responds immediately to all child protection concerns".

She added that clear guidance on reporting a concern to Tusla was provided on its website.

"This clearly states that where someone wishes to report a child protection concern outside of office hours, they should contact An Garda Síochána."

It is understood that eight pupils have been suspended in the wake of the alleged incident at the school.

Sources said there was "pandemonium" following the initial allegation about the incident.

The alleged victim continues to be a pupil at the school, while the eight pupils who will be interviewed by social workers and gardaí remain suspended.

The officers who will conduct the interviews will be specially trained gardaí from the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Investigation Unit.

The teenager is believed to have received medical attention - but it is unclear if this involved a forensic examination at Crumlin or Temple St hospitals. The Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin Dr Michael Jackson, who is on the board of governors, has declined to say when he was informed about the allegations.

Irish Independent