Teacher takes stand and tells jury she never abused child

A teacher from Donegal Town has denied charges of indecent assault against a male student alleged to have occurred nearly four decades ago. The 63-year-old woman pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecently assaulting a child between June and September 1985, when she was a student teacher in Dublin. She took the stand at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and stated she never engaged in sexual contact of any kind with the boy, who was 13 at the time. The prosecution alleges the assaults occurred twice at the child's home during tuition sessions and once during a family holiday in Spain. The defence called a witness who accompanied the accused on the Spanish trip, who testified the two women remained together throughout and maintained distance from the boy's family. The trial before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury continues.