Plett sex accused’s bail terms changed

A NATIONAL award-winning teacher, who was arrested twice last year for allegedly raping and sexually abusing children, was ordered by the Plettenberg Bay Magistrate’s Court yesterday not to offer his services to special needs children.

This followed allegations about his possible involvement in “music therapy” for mentally challenged youngsters while out on bail.

The 42-year-old Plett teacher, who cannot be named until he has pleaded, appeared in court briefly yesterday for the first time since he was released on R3 000 bail last month.

He is accused of raping a 15-year-old mentally disabled boy twice on the premises of the school where he was employed.

He was first arrested on June 22 in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a 10-year-old boy in his class and was subsequently released on bail.

This case is scheduled to start in the Knysna Regional Court today.

The latest case was postponed to February 26 for further investigation.

Yesterday, prosecutor Henriette Breedt handed in a letter which alluded to the teacher’s involvement at a music academy where he had allegedly offered his services to children with special needs.

The letter, dated January 6, allegedly links the teacher to the academy’s services while out on bail.

It was given to Breedt by anti-child abuse group the Green Hearts.

“While I can’t say if these allegations are true, I have a duty to bring it to the court’s attention and ask for the accused’s bail conditions to be amended,” Breedt said.

She asked that the teacher be prohibited from offering his services as a teacher to children with special needs.

The teacher’s lawyer, John Gillespie, said he had no problem with the condition being added.

However, he said that while the teacher acknowledged his involvement in music therapy with the academy, he denied offering his services after his arrests.

“My client would not put himself in such a position as he knows the sensitivity of the case,” Gillespie said.

He said he was fed-up with the perception the Green Hearts had been creating in the media about the teacher and the case.

Green Hearts spokeswoman Yvette Wilschut said the organisation had never commented on the merits of the case.

All the comments it had made had been around legislation and child protection.

“We are not out to get the accused, our main priority has been, and always will be, ensuring the safety of children,” Wilschut said.

While she realised that the innocent until proven guilty premise applied, she said special precautions had to be taken to ensure vulnerable children remained out of possible harm’s way.

Magistrate Len Goosen made it clear to the teacher that if he broke any one of his bail conditions, including no contact with the alleged victims or visits to the school, he would be arrested immediately and lose his bail.

He also ordered that the new bail condition be included.