Ex-teacher guilty of sex assault

Women relatives sobbed in Newry Crown Court yesterday when a 62-year-old retired Co Down music teacher was found guilty of a …

Women relatives sobbed in Newry Crown Court yesterday when a 62-year-old retired Co Down music teacher was found guilty of a single charge of indecently assaulting a 15-year-old schoolgirl during private tuition in his home last year.

The jury had spent two hours and 40 minutes considering its verdict after an eight-day hearing. The former teacher was cleared of 15 allegations of rape, attempted rape and indecent assault going back to 1976. The allegations were made by a former student now aged 16. Sentencing takes place next year.