Allegations of Sexual Abuse
	False Allegations
	John Edgar case
	The Dominion April 21 1998 Mother made to feel wrong about accused, court told NZPA Hamilton – A woman told a Hamilton jury yesterday that seven years ago she had apologised to a teacher now on trial for committing an indecent act on her son because she was made to feel her allegations were wrong. The woman, whose name is suppressed to protect the identity of her son, said she complained soon after the alleged incident but nothing came of it. John Timothy Edgar, 38, was eventually charged in relation to the incident when other boys made allegations last November. Edgar, 38, is also accused of indecently assaulting six other pupils. He has denied all the charges. The court was told of detailed descriptions of the alleged offending by Edgar, who was also described by his former boss as a competent teacher who had an excellent rapport with pupils. Hamilton District Court judge Lynton Laing lifted an order suppressing the school's name after finding out it had already been published. He had imposed the order yesterday morning before the trial began. The woman said Hukanui School principal Colin Muter rang her in 1991 after she complained to a friend who worked at the school that Edgar had looked at her son's penis while he was getting changed. She said she was told by Mr Muter and Edgar that her son had misinterpreted what had happened. Edgar told her he had just been helping her son change clothes. She told the court she felt bad about complaining and apologised even though she felt she was right. Her son, now 15, told the court Edgar had offered to help him change his clothes after he fell over in the mud in 1991 when he was eight or nine years old. He said he did not want any help but Edgar went with him to the sickbay and pulled his underpants down and looked at his penis as he got changed. He went home upset and told his mother. A screen was put around Edgar when the boy gave evidence. Another alleged victim testified yesterday through closed-circuit television. He said Edgar would put his arm around him and touch his penis through his clothes. The boy's father told the court his son had told him about the incidents last September. He did not do anything about it because he did not know what to do. Edgar's counsel, Roger Laybourn, said Edgar would rebut the allegations when he gave evidence later in the trial. Earlier, under cross-examination by Mr Laybourn, Mr Muter had described Edgar as a competent and popular teacher who had a great rapport with pupils.