Springburn man denies repeatedly exposing himself to Glasgow pupils

A man from Springburn has denied repeatedly exposing himself to six children while he was a teacher back in the 1980's.

A 43-year-old man was a pupil at the school in the 1980s, where 66 year old Gerald King taught and coached the school football team.

He said throughout his last year at primary school while in the team, King repeatedly exposed is private parts to him while changing.

The witness claimed King also showed him a pornographic magazine, and a few seconds of videos.

He admitted he initially told police who were investigating King that he knew of nothing happening at the school but when he got the letter from King’s defence team to be a witness, he changed his mind.

He said: “I knew at that point I wasn’t going to stand up here and defend someone I knew was guilty.”

King, from Springburn, is on trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court is accused of using lewd and libidinous practices towards four boys and two girls at a school in the north of Glasgow between August 1, 1983 and June 30, 1989.

He also faces a charge of taking or permitting to be taken, indecent images of children on various occasions between January 1987 and December 1988 at Barrowfield football park at the city’s London road.

The witness, who cannot be identified, said he played for the school football team coached by King, but was never taught by him.

The court heard that on match or training days, King would change in a separate area of the school from the pupils.

The man said he was asked by King to take on extra responsibilities in the team when he was in his final year at primary school, including preparing King’s bag for changing.

He said: “There was a vagueness about the discussion which I didn’t quite compute at the time.

“He explained that I was to help him prepare his stuff for the football and that there might be some things that I see that I’m not supposed to tell anyone.”

Procurator fiscal depute Adele Macdonald asked if King clarified that and the witness said that he was to help him with his underwear.

She asked him how he felt when that was mentioned and he said: “Confused, I was 11 at the time. Slightly embarrassed because I got a hint of what was being discussed but I didn’t quite know where it was going.”

The man claimed one Saturday morning while they were at the school for football, he took King’s bag in to where he got changed and he exposed himself.

The witness alleged that King described a teacher when he was at school who encouraged pupils to show themselves, and demonstrated this.

Miss Macdonald asked if the man could clearly see King’s private parts and he said he could.

She asked how he felt about that. He replied: “Really embarrassed.”

He said it couldn’t have been done by accident and “there was intention”.

The court heard King did this “throughout that term” and that he would touch himself in front of the schoolboy.

The 43-year-old described being “embarrassed and uncomfortable” when this happened and said on King never said anything apart from on a coupe of occasions “don’t tell anyone”.

He told the jury: “I felt as though it was something I couldn’t escape from.

“I didn’t feel threatened in any way, he was a teacher who was utterly respected and everybody liked and with the immaturity of being 11, didn’t have the language or sense to be able to get out the situation.”

He claimed King showed him a magazine with “top shelf content” and said this could have happened on more than one occasion.

The jury were told that as an 11-year-old it “wasn’t entirely uncomfortable” at the time because he didn't understand what happened.

He added: “It’s not until later I realised it was wrong.”

He also claimed that King showed him "a few seconds" of video pornography when he was at his house, after being asked to help him carry bags down from his bedroom.

The witness said King lived at home with his parents and "was always quite concerned" that they would come upstairs and would show "a few seconds of the video".

The man told the court he revisited the school years later and saw King who looked “surprised and panicked”.

Juror were told that police investigating King spoke to the witness in January 2010 who claimed he didn’t know of any alleged abuse at the school.

Miss Macdonald asked: “Were you being honest?” He replied: “No.”

She continued: “Why were you not being honest with the police in January 2017, why did you not tell the police what you told the court today?”

The witness answered: “Because of the shame and guilt for not raising it sooner, and embarrassed

“I didn’t what to be in a situation like this.”

He confirmed he gave a further statement earlier this year and told the police what he told the court.

He said it “didn’t sit comfortably” with him after speaking to the police last year, and the “trigger” was receiving a defence letter to give evidence for King.

Miss Macdonald asked “You received a citation to appear for the defence. How did you feel?”

The witness replied: “I knew at that point I wasn’t going to stand up here and defend someone I knew was guilty.”

King denies the charges and the trial before sheriff Johanna Johnston QC continues.