|
|
Allegations
of Sexual Abuse |
|
Two more boys today
told a jury how a former The boys, both 10, gave
their evidence via closed circuit television as John Timothy Edgar's Hamilton
District Court trial moved into its second day. One boy said Edgar
caught him alone while changing after swimming, while the other said Edgar
would touch him while he was in a classroom with other students and a student
teacher. Edgar handed several notes to his counsel Roger Laybourn
as Crown prosecutor David Wilson, QC, took the boys through their
testimonies. Edgar is accused of
seven counts of indecent assault and one of committing an indecent act while
a teacher at The trial, before Judge
Lynton Laing, is expected to finish by the middle
of next week. Three other boys are expected to give evidence during the
trial. The first boy to
testify today said he was slower than the rest of his class to get changed
after swimming late in 1996 and was alone in the changing room. He said Edgar came into
the room, told him to hurry up and pushed his penis into his underpants.
Edgar then pulled the boy's underpants and shorts up. He said he did not tell
anyone what happened because he felt bad about it. His mother told the
court she noticed her son started to have more toilet "accidents"
around the time of the alleged offence and started to wet the bed. The other boy to give
evidence today said he used to go to Edgar's class to deliver messages. It
was alleged Edgar would rub the boy's penis from outside his clothes while
there was a classroom full of children and a student teacher. The boy said
this happened about five times but did not tell anyone until after the last
time late last year. Under cross
examination, he told Mr Laybourn he did not make
the story up after talking with his friends. Yesterday a woman told
the jury she apologised to Edgar after complaining about an alleged incident
involving her son because she was made to feel her allegations were wrong.
Her son had told her Edgar had looked at her son's penis while he changed. She told the court she
felt bad about complaining and apologised, even though she felt she had been
right. Nothing came of her
complaint. -------------------- CAPTION: COURT
SUPPORTERS: friends of former teacher John Timothy Edgar arrive at Hamilton
District Court yesterday. |
