Wirral teachers accused of sex abuse - 5th Apr 2011 6:50pm
Jury retire in trial of Wirral teachers Stephen Dickman and Graham Stothard accused of sex abuse
JURORS have retired in the trial of two teachers accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old pupil in the early 1990’s.
Wallasey School teacher Stephen Dickman, 58, is alleged to have had an 18-month sexual “affair” with the schoolgirl.
His co-accused, fellow teacher and former Wirral magistrate and Labour councillor Graham Stothard, 53, is accused of abusing the girl on a single occasion after being introduced to her by pal Dickman.
Dickman, of Kenilworth Road, Neston, denies three offences of indecent assault, representing an alleged course of conduct.
Stothard, who represented Ellesmere Port in the 1990’s, denies two counts of indecent assault.
But prosecutor David Owen told Liverpool Crown Court jurors that the men had taken advantage of the vulnerable youngster, who is now in her mid-30s.
She claims she began a relationship with languages teacher Dickman, then 40, after writing him a letter revealing she had a crush on him.
Mr Owen said it developed into regular sexual contact, “everything short of intercourse”.
During the course of their “affair” she claims Dickman arranged for her to visit former colleague Stothard, then 34, at his Parkgate home.
It is alleged Stothard, now of Lagos, Nigeria, then performed two sex acts upon the youngster and persuaded her to reciprocate.
Both men deny the charges. Dickman told jurors he remembered the girl and attempted to support her after she revealed to him she had had an abortion. But he insists there was no sexual activity between them. Stothard told jurors he had no memory of ever meeting the girl.
Jurors have now retired to consider their verdicts.
THE ECHO
JURORS have retired in the trial of two teachers accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old pupil in the early 1990’s.
Wallasey School teacher Stephen Dickman, 58, is alleged to have had an 18-month sexual “affair” with the schoolgirl.
His co-accused, fellow teacher and former Wirral magistrate and Labour councillor Graham Stothard, 53, is accused of abusing the girl on a single occasion after being introduced to her by pal Dickman.
Dickman, of Kenilworth Road, Neston, denies three offences of indecent assault, representing an alleged course of conduct.
Stothard, who represented Ellesmere Port in the 1990’s, denies two counts of indecent assault.
But prosecutor David Owen told Liverpool Crown Court jurors that the men had taken advantage of the vulnerable youngster, who is now in her mid-30s.
She claims she began a relationship with languages teacher Dickman, then 40, after writing him a letter revealing she had a crush on him.
Mr Owen said it developed into regular sexual contact, “everything short of intercourse”.
During the course of their “affair” she claims Dickman arranged for her to visit former colleague Stothard, then 34, at his Parkgate home.
It is alleged Stothard, now of Lagos, Nigeria, then performed two sex acts upon the youngster and persuaded her to reciprocate.
Both men deny the charges. Dickman told jurors he remembered the girl and attempted to support her after she revealed to him she had had an abortion. But he insists there was no sexual activity between them. Stothard told jurors he had no memory of ever meeting the girl.
Jurors have now retired to consider their verdicts.
THE ECHO