A mother yesterday told a jury her three-year-old son made an “alarming” comment of a sexual nature about nursery manager Mark Maclennan.
The 39-year-old woman was giving evidence at the trial of Maclennan, 30, from Bath, England, who denies raping the boy at an Inverness-shire nursery between August 1, 2012 and May 23, 2013.
He is also accused of sexually abusing a girl when she was aged between four and five between August 1, 2012, and May 23, 2013, and a three-year-old boy between March 2 and May 23, 2013, at the nursery.
The mother told the High Court in Glasgow her son was very upset on May 22, 2013, and added: “On May 23 he told me something while we were at home watching television.
“It was an alarming statement.”
Advocate depute Kath Harper asked: “Was it about any person in particular?” and the mother replied: “Mark Maclennan.”
Asked the nature of the remark she said: “A sexual nature. I was making dinner and he just came out with it while he was watching television.”
The court heard the parents contacted social services who then approached the police, and the boy was interviewed twice.
An investigation was launched and Maclennan was suspended from his job as nursery manager.
Two other mothers, whose children attended the nursery, told of receiving letters telling them an inquiry was underway although they did not know any details, or who had been suspended.
The mothers, both aged 34, said they spoke to their children after getting the letter.
One mother told Ms Harper her five year-old daughter told her something that concerned her and she went to the police.
The other 34-year-old told the jury that she spoke to her three-year-old son the morning after receiving the letter. She was asked what the child said and replied: “Well, basically that Mark was touching him.”
Maclennan denies all the charges against him.
The trial continues.