Classmates brand schoolboys liars

SCHOOLBOYS who claim they were touched by their male teacher in class were branded liars by their classmates yesterday.

Young former pupils of Neil Carr (25) broke down in tears as they gave evidence via videolink at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester.

The girls told the jury how they had heard boys say Mr Carr was gay as well as call him “a paedophile”.

One girl explained how one of the seven boys making the allegations had influenced the behaviour of others.

Describing him she said: “He was pretty nasty, he always used to bully the people who were vulnerable.

“He used to say Mr Carr was gay. He used to sing songs that were not nice. He would be nice to everybody so they would want to be his friend, then he would do what he did and bully people and they would start to copy him. He was always getting in fights and used to hit different people.”

Asked whether or not she had seen Mr Carr touching the boys’ private parts, she replied: “No”.

The girl also told how she had heard another boy making the same allegations. He said Mr Carr had touched him and kept saying it.

“He wasn’t saying it as if he was shocked or scared, he was just laughing,” she said.

The girls heaped praise on the accused, who denies 20 separate offences of sexual activity with a child. Carr was suspended from school after the allegations surfaced in February last year.

Another youngster said: “I didn’t believe what they were saying because of the sort of boys they are, they’re always lying. I never saw Mr Carr do anything rude or naughty.”

Each pupil called to give evidence yesterday morning said they had not noticed the teacher doing anything untoward. One said: “Everyone was in the classroom at the same time. Mr Carr never had his hands underneath the desk.”

During the trial, jurors have previously heard Mr Carr admit to a sexual relationship with an older male relative in order to explain internet searches for pictures of little boys.

Proceeding.


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