Trial told housemaster stroked the feet of pupils

A HOUSEMASTER at an independent boarding school sexually touched the feet of two pupils while he thought they were asleep in bed, a jury has heard.

Christopher Griffin, 57, of Ingleton, North Yorkshire, is said to have targeted the teenagers as he conducted his nightly rounds to check if all the students were in their living quarters.

Griffin denies committing five counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted sexual assault at Sedbergh School in Cumbria – founded in 1525 with term fees of £10,590 for boarding pupils. Opening the case at Carlisle Crown Court, Kim Whittlestone, prosecuting, told jurors: “It is an unusual case because of the nature of the allegations that the boys make against him.

“The prosecution case is that while he believed they were asleep at night he would enter their rooms and he would touch, stroke and massage their feet and lower legs.”

Miss Whittlestone said Griffin had been a housemaster at Sedbergh School “for a considerable period of time” and was said to be well liked by staff and pupils alike.

She said the first complainant alleged that Griffin would regularly shine a torch in his face after midnight before he placed his hand under the duvet and stroked his feet and massaged his lower legs for “five to 10 minutes” before he left.

The court heard that this would happen “at least once a week” to the boy who eventually told a senior member of staff at the school. An investigation was then launched into the matter.

Griffin denies the offences, said to have taken place in 2015 and 2016.

The trial continues.