A Shetland primary teacher will face trial next year over allegations of historic sexual offences against six pupils.
Stephen Tait, 40, is accused of six charges of acting in a lewd, indecent and libidinous manner towards six young boys while employed as a teacher at the school more than a decade ago.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard that Tait’s accusers are now adults but were all aged between eight and nine at the time of the alleged offences.
A number of them have accused Tait of touching them sexually and forcing them to remove their clothes.
It is claimed the teacher sexually touched one boy on the private parts while touching several others on their bottoms.
It is further alleged that Tait bought swimming trunks and forced one child to put them on while they were alone together in a classroom cupboard.
Teacher accused of making pupils remove clothes
Tait, also known as Christopher Tait, is facing charges that on various occasions he cuddled a nine-year-old pupil and got him to sit on his knee.
He is further accused of taking the boy into a classroom cupboard before making him remove his clothing and put on swimming trunks he had bought for him.
The teacher faces a second charge that he embraced three boys while touching them on the body and buttocks, before making the children discuss “intimate and personal” details about their bodies.
A fifth accuser, who was aged eight at the time of the alleged offences, has accused Tait of cuddling him, touching him on the body and his buttocks before taking him into a classroom cupboard where he made him remove his clothes.
Facing charge of sexual touching
Another complainant, also eight at the time, claims Tait made him press his body against him before bringing him into a classroom cupboard where the teacher touched him sexually.
Tait is further accused of forcing the boy to discuss intimate and personal details about his body.
It is also alleged he uttered sexual remarks to all six boys.
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin set a trial date for Tait, who now lives in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, at Lerwick Sheriff Court for next year.
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