The head of music at one of Aberdeen’s most exclusive private schools has been cleared of exposing himself to two men.
Owen Somerville, a teacher at Albyn School, went on trial at the city’s sheriff court yesterday accused of intentionally exposing his private parts in a sexual manner to the shop workers on February 18 last year.
The two men, who can not be named for legal reasons, told the court that they had been working close to Mr Somerville’s home on the city’s Queen’s Road that night.
They said on a number of occasions they spotted a man in Mr Somerville’s flat naked from the waist down carrying out a sex act.
The men said the flasher, who neither could identify as being Mr Somerville, would deliberately stand up from the sofa when he saw them from the window, and walk towards them while continuing his act.
The court heard that one of the complainers phoned the police that night as he felt he was being watched from Mr Somerville’s window as he waited for the bus.
Mr Somerville, of Flat A, 126 Queens Road, denied the charge against him and lodged a special defence of alibi, claiming he was at the spa at the Ardoe House Hotel when the offence was alleged to have happened.
Both men told the court they believed the person had intended for them to witness what he was doing to himself.
The youngest of the two complainers said he thought the culprit was in his 30s and described him as being of average build with dark hair.
However his former colleague said he thought the man responsible was in his 40s or 50s.
Both men confirmed they would not be able to identify the flasher if they saw him again.
They also said that, although it was clear he was naked and touching himself intimately, they had not been able to see his private parts from the distance they were standing at.
After evidence was led from both alleged victims fiscal depute Sandy Hutchison decided to withdraw the charge against the teacher and he walked free from court.
Last night a spokeswoman for Albyn School said: “We have a strict code of conduct for all of our staff. Any potential breaches of the code are fully investigated and the appropriate disciplinary action taken.”