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Allegations
of Sexual Abuse |
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A Hamilton District Court
jury was today to decide if former teacher John Timothy Edgar is guilty of
indecencies against boys. Judge Lynton Laing was due to sum up the case this morning with the
jury expected to retire to consider its verdicts after that. Crown Prosecutor David
Wilson, QC, and defence counsel Roger Laybourn
summed up their cases yesterday. Edgar, 38, is accused
of seven counts of indecent assault and one of committing an indecent act
while he was a teacher at The Crown alleges Edgar
touched the genitals of six boys and looked at another boy's penis. The first complaint
dates back to 1991. All seven boys
testified via closed circuit television last week. Mr Wilson described
Edgar as a "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde", who hid his consistent
offending from others at the school for years under a cloak of secrecy. Mr Wilson said:
"This comes about because people don't recognise what they see and if
they do, don't tell anyone." Mr Laybourn
said the boys' allegations had fundamental flaws. "How can you trust
and rely on a witness that tells such conflicting stories?" Mr Laybourn said. "That in itself should make you have serious doubts about his
allegations." A series of defence
witnesses, mostly former colleagues of Edgar, described him as a talented
teacher. They said Edgar had a reputation for professionalism and honesty and
was popular with students. |
