John Culatto
A LOCAL teacher is appearing in court on May 4 to answer to five counts of sexual activity with a child between 2018 and 2020.
Local teacher Claire Treacy, 25, of Midtown, Queensway, was charged on May 3 with having ‘sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust’.
Detectives opened the case after a report was made to the RGP about Treacy allegedly having had sexual activity with two separate victims.
The Royal Gibraltar Police Safeguarding Team then arrested the British national in November 2020.
Investigations revealed this activity could have occurred on different dates between 2018 and 2020.
The two victims are now adults but according to the law, it is an offence even if they are above the age of consent for sex.
That is because teachers, social workers, carers and doctors are working in a position of trust, which means they would be abusing that trust with a person that is still not 18-years-old.
According to the Crimes Act 2011, the prosecution will have to prove that there has been ‘intentional touch’ and that ‘the touching is sexual’.
The National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children is now pushing for other positions of trust, like sports coaches and faith leaders to be included in this legislation.
They launched a Close the Loophole campaign which if successful in the UK, could also be echoed in Gibraltar at some point in the future.
If found guilty, Treacy could face years behind bars.
