Violin tutor denies being inappropriate with pupils

A VIOLIN tutor who was suspended four years ago after four primary school girls alleged he had behaved inappropriately during lessons denied the claims at the Crown Court in Londonderry yesterday.

Brian Bergin (60), from Brookhill in Derry, denies eight charges alleged to have been committed between August 2011 and May 2014 in two local schools.

His former pupils have claimed that he touched them in a manner that made them feel uncomfortable, and that he told them to do the splits during the classes. One of the complainants alleged the defendant also sat her on his knee and put his arm around her neck.

Questioned by his barrister Ciaran Mallon QC, the married fatherof-three said on occasions he would touch pupils on the shoulders. He said he did so to guide them how to hold a violin and to give direction to them in terms of stance.

Asked if he had ever told pupils to do the splits, he replied “absolutely not, I have never used those words”. He said he would use the words “feet apart please” in terms of posture.

The defendant described the allegations as “a complete fabrication”.

Bergin said adopting the correct posture was important in terms of playing the violin.

“It is not just about playing the notes, you have to integrate standing, holding and posture because you need a lot of physical freedom of

Accused: Brian Bergin

movement in relation to playing the violin,” he told the jury.

The defendant said he had never, as alleged by one complainant, taught her on a one-to-one basis and that his violin classes were always held in accessible open spaces and classrooms chosen by school staff.

He denied ever sitting one of the complainants on his knee and putting an arm around her neck. He said he had never told his pupils to do the splits to a low level. “Obviously I have never used that phrase ever, ever. If they had done that they would have discovered for themselves they could not have played the violin,” he said.

Bergin added: “I have been accused of things I did not do. If I could just take this opportunity as well to say this has destroyed our lives for the last four-and-a-half years. I am married, my wife, our three children; I would never harm a child.”

The trial continues.