A Highland primary school teacher who was accused of taping a child’s mouth shut has been cleared of all charges.
Joyce Kullas, 64, always denied assaulting and attempting to assault children at her school, which cannot be named for legal reasons.
At the opening of her trial at Tain Sheriff Court, solicitor John MacColl told the court his client’s position was “it simply didn’t happen”.
The case against her – which related to three children aged between seven and nine – was dropped after Sheriff Neil Wilson heard evidence from one of her accusers, a young boy.
The court was played a recording of an interview with the youngster, who cannot be named, during which he was asked questions about his experiences with the teacher.
When he was asked what it was like to be taught by Mrs Kullas, he replied: “Hard, like chimney sums and that.”
Child said teacher was ‘not that bad’
Asked how Mrs Kullas had treated him in her classroom, he said: “Not that bad – I can’t really remember.”
The child was then prompted to “try and think back” and recounted being called to the front of the class after “chatting a lot” and having tape put over his mouth.
He was later asked who his least favourite teacher was and replied: “Mrs Kullas”
Mrs Kullas’ solicitor Mr MacColl cross-examined the boy over videolink and suggested that the teacher had simply joked about putting tape over his mouth.
The child replied: “I don’t know.”
When the boy was asked: “Has anybody told you to say these things?” he became upset and the court was briefly adjourned.
After the case recalled, Mr MacColl told the witness that other children who were present might give evidence that he and his friend had placed tape over their own mouths.
Young pupil ‘did not know’ if mouth was taped
The child again replied: “I don’t know.”
Mr MacColl asked him: “Mrs Kullas didn’t put tape over your mouth, did she?”
The boy answered: “I don’t know” and then appeared to concede Mr MacColl’s assertion that: “You can’t say one way or another if Mrs Kullas put tape over your mouth.”
After hearing evidence from the boy, one of the three children named in the complaint, fiscal depute Eilidh Gunn told the court that the Crown was no longer seeking a conviction on any of the charges.
As a result Sheriff Wilson formally acquitted Mrs Kullas of the two charges of assault and one of attempted assault.
Sheriff Wilson told Kullas: “That formally brings this matter to an end.”