A court has heard a former school teacher will deny all claims he sexually abused two boys at a private country boarding school in the 1960s.
Leonard Albert Gardiner, 87, is facing trial in the Sydney Downing Centre District Court on six charges relating to buggery, indecent assault and maintaining a long-term relationship with a child.
The court heard the alleged offences occurred while Mr Gardiner was a maths teacher at The Armidale School.
‘Used his power’
In his opening statements on Friday, Crown prosecutor Peter Lowe told the court Mr Gardiner used his position as a teacher to act through sexual interest.
“The accused used his position as a teacher to gain one-on-one access to students, grooming them,” he said.
Mr Lowe said one of the former students would allege the assaults took place in Mr Gardiner’s private residence at The Armidale School, as well as his personal vehicle.
Counsel for the accused Phillip Boulten said Mr Gardiner denied owning a vehicle at the time of the alleged assaults or that he lived on The Armidale School campus at the location of one of the complainant’s claims.
Mr Boulten told the court he would contest both the claims of abuse and the timeline in which they were alleged to have occurred.
He told the court Mr Gardiner would question if he was even their teacher at the time.
“You will have to decide if the complainants were in primary school or high school,” Mr Boulten told the jury.
Mr Gardiner is expected to take the stand during the four-week trial.
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