A GROUP of Northern Ireland under-21 internationals have been photographed on a mobile phone taking part in group sex sessions with a 19-year-old woman.

Now an urgent and wide-ranging inquiry headed by Irish Football Association chief executive Howard Wells and president Raymond Kennedy into all the circumstances surrounding the incident is to be held.

One of those caught on video is 20-year-old Bohemians player Chris Turner. The former Derby County player made his League of Ireland debut for Bohs in an FAI cup tie against Malahide this season after joining the Dublin club from Sligo Rovers.

Also in the room with the woman at the time the various sex acts took place was Crewe Alexandra midfielder Michael O'Connor.

The players were wearing part of their Northern Ireland kit when they were captured on screen.

Belfast-born O'Connor, who had previously played in several friendly internationals for the Republic's under-21 squad, had only returned to the Northern Ireland fold this season. His declaration for the North over the Republic was welcomed by the Northern Ireland under-21 manager, Roy Millar, as a significant coup. But now the entire IFA under-21 management team headed by Millar will be quizzed over the level of control they are able to exert over their squad.

The young woman in the video was invited as a guest of one of the players to visit the Northern Ireland under-21 squad headquarters last month at the Dunadry Inn.

The players were based at the Co Antrim venue before their back-to-back European championship qualification matches against Luxembourg and Moldova.

A number of players took part in a drinking session after the 5-0 thrashing of Luxembourg. Both O'Connor and Turner scored in that match and were keen to celebrate their achievement at a party that continued into the early hours.

The young woman, who had consumed a large amount of alcohol, voluntarily took part in the sex acts. She was encouraged in graphic detail to have as many partners as possible.

There is no suggestion that the young woman involved was forced against her will to participate in the two-hour session. However, the incident is regarded as another acute embarrassment for the Irish Football Association.

Earlier this year, two senior Northern Ireland players, Keith Gillespie and George McCartney, were involved in a brawl on board an aircraft after the team was defeated in Latvia.

The under-21 squad still have two games to play in Group Nine of the European championships and are currently third in the table behind Germany and Israel.

But whether or not all the current members of the squad will be retained after the latest scandal to engulf the IFA is not known.

The Sunday Tribune made several attempts to contact officials from the IFA yesterday. However, nobody was available for comment.