|
|
Allegations
of Sexual Abuse |
|
The trial of a former
primary school teacher accused of indecently assaulting seven pupils starts
today in Hamilton District Court. John Timothy Edgar, 38,
was arrested last November and charged while he was a teacher at at Edgar resigned soon
after the allegations were made. One of the charges dates back to 1991 with
the alleged victims all aged under 12 years. The trial, before Judge
Lynton Laing, is set down for six days. The jury
was to be selected this morning. David Wilson, QC, who is acting for the
Crown, was to then give his opening address. Mr Wilson said he
planned to call 19 witnesses, including alleged victims and their parents. He
said the trial would go into a second week. Closed circuit television will be
used when the seven boys and another Crown witness, who are all under 17
years, give evidence. They cannot be
identified and the names of their parents will also be suppressed. Edgar's counsel, Roger Laybourn, who is assisted by Mark Hammond, said he
planned to call about as many witnesses as the Crown but the final number
would depend on how the trial went. |
