http://www.stuff.co.nz/southlandtimes/4736296a26589.html

The Southland Times
October 23 2008

Police found toys in caravan

Police investigating an Invercargill school teacher accused of doing indecent acts on two boys found a set of handcuffs, toy guns, lollies and a rope in a locked caravan on his property, a jury was told yesterday.

Paul Alexander Conner, 42, is standing trial in the Invercargill District Court on one charge of performing an indecent act on an 11-year-old boy and four charges of doing indecent acts on another boy, aged between 11 and 13. The Crown alleges Conner played slavery-type games with the boys at different times on his farm that involved toy guns and loosely tying up the boys with rope.

Detective Chris Lucy, of Invercargill, said police who searched a caravan on Conner's property found a cardboard box and plastic bag inside a cupboard with about 10 water pistols and cap guns, a set of handcuffs, sweets and lollies and a rope with knots in it and dog collars attached.

The boy who claims Conner did four indecent acts on him gave evidence yesterday he had found a box with toy guns in the hay shed the first time he went to Conner's farm.  The games started after that and the guns were then kept in the caravan, the boy said.

Conner had never called the game a slavery game. The boy had come up with the name himself, he said. Sometimes when they were playing the game, Conner's family members would be around the barn, including his mother and father, the boy said.

On one occasion Conner's father walked into the barn when Conner was lying on top of him and Conner quickly got up, the boy said.

The Crown says the game was like hide and seek with toy guns. When Conner found the boys he would loosely tie them up, touch their private parts over their clothes when frisking them for weapons, lay them down on a mat in the barn and rub up against them.

The boy said for every gun stashed when they played the game, he would get an extra dollar from Conner, on top of his "wage" for helping out on the farm. Conner taught both boys at the centre of the charges at New River Primary School in Invercargill.

The trial is expected to extend into next week.