Band teacher ‘spanked girl pupils with drum sticks’

A SCHOOL band instructor sexually assaulted teenage girl pupils by spanking them with drum sticks, it was alleged in court yesterday.

James Clark, 54, was employed at a school in Perthshire, Stirling Sheriff Court heard.

He is said to have sexually assaulted eight teenage girls and one 11-year-old girl over a period of seven and a half years at the school.

Clark is alleged to have struck three of the teenage pupils on the buttocks with drum sticks. He is also accused of touching the girls’ buttocks and cuddling them.

At a procedural court hearing yesterday, the case was continued after his solicitor handed in a GP’s letter suggesting that Clark might not be fit to stand trial.

Clark, of Edinburgh, was not present at the hearing.

One of the alleged victims is said to have had her buttocks touched and struck with drum sticks by Clark on a trip abroad.

Another girl, then aged 16 to 18, is said to have been sexually assaulted not only at the school but also in a vehicle.

Clark is said to have removed the teenager’s clothing and bitten her mouth and neck before carrying out a series of sexual acts.

A number of the girls are said to have been subjected to sexual remarks made by Clark to them without their consent, for the purposes of him obtaining sexual gratification, or of humiliating, distressing or alarming them.

The accused also faces nine alternative charges, alleging that while the girls were pupils and he was looking after them he engaged in sexual activity with them.

Sheriff Simon Collins, QC, continued the case to a further procedural hearing on March 10 in order for the defence to inquire into Clark’s mental health and establish whether he is fit to stand trial.

Sheriff Collins said: ‘His GP says he is suffering from mental health problems.’

The sexual assaults are said to have spanned a period from August 2011 to mid-February last year.

Last year, the school confirmed that a member of staff was under investigation.

A spokesman said: ‘We are co-operating fully with Police Scotland.’

‘Subjected to sexual remarks’