Students accuse teacher of ‘uncomfortable’ touching
(CNS): Three girls attending John Gray High School were quick to make a report last year about a teacher who, they claimed, touched them all inappropriately during class, on different occasions, over a period of one week. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with three counts of indecent assault. Opening the case against him Tuesday, the prosecution told the jury of six men and one woman that the students were aged 11 and 12 at the time that they were allegedly assaulted by the teacher.
Crown counsel Toyin Salako said that during the last week of January 2015, the girls all reported to their school counsellor that the 42-year-old teacher, who had begun taking them for lessons just a few weeks before, had touched each of them in ways that could almost appear accidental but which they all said made them feel uncomfortable.
When one of the girls told the others that the teacher had touched her leg and pubic area during that day’s class, the girls had exchanged the experiences with each other and they all agreed that they should make the report that day.
After the girls related the events to the school counsellor, a report was made to the police, and less than six weeks later the teacher was arrested and suspended from his job. Salako said that when the teacher was interviewed by police, he denied having any physical contact with the young students and implied that they were making up the allegations because he was a strict teacher who had reason to tell them off or talk to them about their behaviour in class.
All three girls took part in video interviews with the police, which are being used in court to save the young teenagers from having to repeat their evidence.
The teacher is represented by defence attorney Steve McField and the case, which continues this week, is being presided over by visiting judge, Acting Justice Michael Wood.
