A schoolgirl (15) who was wrongly accused of extorting money from a younger pupil is now suing her former school and the garda authorities for defamation.

Lydia O'Hara has told a High Court jury that she self-harmed and tried to take her own life after the false allegations were made at Scoil Chriost Ri in Portlaoise in March 2004.

Miss O'Hara told the jury she was not the troublesome type so she was surprised when one day the school principal called her into her office.

She cried in the witness box as she re-called being met inside by two plain clothes gardai who told her serious allegations of extortion had been made against her by another pupil.

Then aged 15, she had to ask the guards to explain what extortion was - they then read her her rights and contacted her parents.

That night, gardai called to her house to tell her she was owed a big apology and the younger student behind the allegations had admitted making it all up.

The school subsequently apologised to her, but she is suing the board and the garda authorities for an ordeal she claims led to damaging rumours that injured her reputation and caused emotional suffering.