Posted on: October 17, 2024, 12:56h.Â
Final up to date on: October 17, 2024, 01:12h.
The trial of a instructor accused of operating an in-class playing syndicate and of indecently assaulting two feminine college students was halted this week after the presiding decide was allegedly overheard saying he “couldn’t look ahead to the matter to be over and to search out the accused responsible.”
Phil Saunders, from Wollongong, Australia, pleaded not responsible to turning his classroom right into a playing den, two counts of aggravated indecent assault of an individual beneath his authority, and two counts of indecent assault of an individual beneath 16. The trial has stretched on for 2 years.
On Tuesday, Justice of the Peace Michael Ong recused himself from the case due to the unguarded remark he allegedly made to a prosecutor who was uninvolved within the trial, The Illawarra Mercury experiences.
Ong denied making the comment, which an officer of the court docket claimed he overheard, however acknowledged that to proceed would foster a notion of bias and potential prejudgement of the end result.
Worst Trainer Ever?
Earlier within the trial, the court docket heard that Saunders, a private improvement, well being, and bodily schooling instructor at Wollongong Excessive Faculty of the Performing Arts, would accumulate bets from his 16-year-old college students to position on English Premier League matches.
Nearly all of his classes had been spent on the betting syndicate quite than instructing, based on college students.
Saunders would write up odds and preserve tallies of outcomes on the classroom whiteboard, witnesses testified, accumulating $2 bets from college students. He would additionally spend classes watching horse racing on his laptop computer, based on prosecutors.
He’s additionally accused of committing “brazen” and “extreme” indecent assault on younger ladies, based on prosecutors. Â
On one event, he ran his hand down the again of one in all his college students and touched her backside, an act that occurred “in plain sight” of her buddy, based on prosecutors.
One other scholar mentioned in a press release that each time she spoke with Saunders, “I had my again near the wall so he couldn’t contact my backside.”
Saunders additionally allegedly enjoined one other feminine scholar to “come sit on daddy’s lap.”
Intimidation Cost
The bodily schooling instructor is dealing with a further cost of intimidation after an alleged “tirade” in February 2021 that left a fellow instructor shaken and in tears.
Saunders allegedly flew right into a rage at languages instructor Sally Johnston after a disagreement about paddleboarding and berated her in entrance of the category.
I began crying,” Johnston mentioned. “I used to be in shock, I used to be upset, a bit offended, however I simply felt I’ve by no means felt like that in all my years of labor, as a instructor or anyplace else.”
A brand new decide is anticipated to be appointed to the case inside 30 days.
