Music teacher tried to kiss me at my 18th birthday lunch

Former pupil’s claims at sex assault trial

A music teacher tried to kiss a former pupil at a golf club on her 18th birthday, a court heard yesterday.

William Wright, 78, allegedly invited the teenager, now 58, out for lunch after she left the East Renfrewshire school where he taught her.

The woman, who cannot be identified, claimed that as she said goodbye to him after their meal he “tried to kiss her”.

She claimed he put his mouth on hers and “tried to put his tongue in her mouth” but that she “didn’t want it and didn’t reciprocate”.

She gave evidence at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday where Wright, from Elderslie, is on trial for a string of alleged sex offences.

He faces three charges of using lewd and libidinous practises and three charges of indecent assault between August 1974 and June 1987.

Five charges relate to the school and one alleges an incident took place at a golf course.

The court heard the woman attended the school where Wright taught for three years and he was her music teacher during that time.

She left school at 17 after finishing her fifth year.

The witness said she was invited to have lunch with Wright on her 18th birthday and went to meet him at a golf course.

Advocate depute Sheena Fraser, asked: “Why did you agree to have lunch?”

She replied: “Because my group of friends were still at school, we still met up and we had become friends with the teachers in that sense.” She added that she thought the lunch was “an extension of that friendship”.

Asked if she included Wright in that, she said: “I thought so.”

Mrs Fraser asked: “Following the lunch what happened?”

She replied: “We left and in the car park went to say goodbye and Mr Wright tried to kiss me.”

The woman was asked to describe it and said: “I remember him holding me and putting his mouth to mine and trying to kiss me and not in a friendly way.”

She said he “tried to put his tongue in my mouth”.

The court heard she told police in a statement “I could feel him try to put his tongue in my mouth, I kept my mouth shut and didn’t allow this”, which she said was correct.

Mrs Fraser asked her how she reacted.

She replied: “I was totally shocked, I couldn’t quite believe it.

“I didn’t want it and I didn’t reciprocate it.”

The court heard she didn’t tell anyone at the time what happened and she was asked why not.

The woman said: “I’ve often asked myself that question.

“I think I was so shocked by it, then I felt really stupid and totally naïve and ashamed.”

During cross- examination by defence counsel Louise Arrol she said she couldn’t remember the name of the golf course she met Wright at.

It was put to her that Wright never met her at a golf club and never tried to kiss her, but she rejected both suggestions.

Wright denies the charges and the trial continues.