Teacher Assaulted Children in His Class, This Is Plymouth, September 14, 2010

Teacher Assaulted Children in His Class

This Is Plymouth
September 14, 2010

http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Teacher-assaulted-children-class/article-2638802-detail/article.html

A clergyman and former primary school teacher assaulted pupils when they were reading stories to the rest of the class, a court was told.

James Andrew Christopher Wilson is accused of touching boys and girls while they were standing behind his desk reading out loud at Pennycross Primary School.

The 61-year-old, from Calstock, denies indecently assaulting 11 children under the age of 13. He is accused of 16 counts, which all relate to alleged incidents in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Wilson was ordained as a priest in 1983 and was a clergyman in a number of places around Devon and Cornwall before becoming Rector and Rural Dean of Calstock.

Speaking at the first day of Wilson's trial at Plymouth Crown Court, prosecution barrister Andrew Oldland said that one of the defendant's alleged victims contacted the police after watching a television programme featuring a story of sexual abuse on a young person by a clergyman.

"What stuck in her mind is what the defendant did to her whilst she was stood reading to the class," Mr Oldland told the court.

"She felt the defendant's hand touch the inside of her leg and work its way up. At that age, she didn't know it was wrong."

After Wilson's arrest and subsequent reports in the press, more people came forward. Giving evidence to the jury of six women and six men, the alleged victim said every child in the class would, over time, go and stand next to Wilson behind the desk and read.

"We stood behind and looked out on the students," she said. "I would stand beside him and he would reach his left arm around me and put his hand between my legs. I didn't know what to make of it. I was too young to understand."

She told the court the assaults would happen every time she went up to read.

And she added that she did not tell anyone because she was not sure if the alleged incidents were right or wrong or if she would be believed.

Defending, David Evans questioned the woman's witness statement in which she remembered him being a vicar at the time of the alleged assaults and seeing him wearing a dark suit and dog collar.

"The fact of the matter is Mr Wilson wasn't a vicar when you were at Pennycross School," said Mr Evans.

But the woman said she remembered him wearing the clothing.

"The defendant never touched you in any sexual way whatsoever, did he?" said Mr Evans. "I can't believe you said that," replied the woman. "Eleven people have come forward.

"If I was lying, why would all these people come forward?"

The trial continues.