Long-hair pupil row court hearing

Grant Stranaghan's locks have caused problems

A County Antrim school has asked a judge to back its decision to suspend a pupil who refused to cut his hair.

Lawyers for Ballyclare High School asked the High Court to say its code of conduct on pupils' appearance was lawful.

Grant Stranaghan, a GCSE student, was suspended for three days in November for having collar-length hair.

The school principal and Grant's parents were in court for the judicial review application.

Children's Commissioner Patricia Lewsley, who has been asked to give an opinion on the case, was also present.

A lawyer for the school's board of governors told Mr Justice Weatherup that haircuts were an issue of uniform and outward dress.

The lawyer claimed the rules on what pupils wore were designed to develop habits of neatness and self discipline, as well as instilling the concept of a shared identity and a sense of belonging to the school.

Girls with long hair had to tie it back and were forbidden from extreme styles or colours, he told the court on Friday.

Boys, meanwhile, were not allowed to have hair touching their blazer collar or severe number-one cuts, he said.

The hearing continues.