A TEN-YEAR-OLD girl meant to be having music lessons was found sitting on the lap of a teacher now living in Petersfield, a court has heard.

Timothy Bleach (76) of Hazel Walk, Broadway Park of The Causeway, denied the incident happened, and also denies dozens of other offences involving children.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard that the child’s father was “stunned” when he found her sitting on Mr Bleach in the staff room at Weyford Junior School in Bordon.

Mr Bleach, who during the time of the offences lived in Rogate and Headley, was meant to be teaching the child how to play the piano, the jury was told on Tuesday, November 15.

The father also said that before the incident he agreed to let his daughter have after school piano lessons and excursions with Mr Bleach, even though her mother was unhappy about it.

Her fears were realised when their daughter didn’t come home on time from a Saturday morning piano lesson with the “very respected” and “enthusiastic” teacher.

The “anxious father” went to collect her and discovered his daughter sitting on Mr Bleach’s lap, but no evidence of piano lessons.

“I was stunned and stopped dead in my tracks,” said the emotional witness.

“He said to me ‘it’s not what you think’ but I didn’t respond. I just know that was wholly wrong and I felt immense guilt for putting my daughter in that situation.”

The court heard the parents, who immediately stopped the after school lessons, complained to the then-head teacher, Eric Smart, but no further action was taken against Mr Bleach.

Jeremy Wright, for Mr Bleach, reminded the father that he “regrettably said no” when asked by the head teacher if he wanted the police involved.

Mr Wright also suggested that his daughter was not sitting on the teacher’s lap when the pair were discovered, but standing up.

He added that there hadn’t been any noticeable change in their daughter’s behaviour or demeanour after the incident.

At an earlier hearing Mr Bleach denied 62 offences against children aged from eight to eleven years old, spread over an eight-year period from 1972 to 1980.

The charges, which cover more than 100 incidents, include gross indecency against children, indecent assault and possession of indecent images.

The trial, which started on Monday, November 7, is expected to last for at least a month.