The jury have been sent home for a second night in the case of a teacher accused of abusing boys at a private boarding school in North Devon.
John Downing, aged 73, has been cleared of eight of 25 charges of indecency against five boys at the school, which date between 1968 and 1982.
The jury at Exeter Crown Court will resume its deliberations on the remaining counts on Wednesday.
They went out on Monday after hearing five days of evidence and a day of closing speeches and summing up.
Church organist Downing is accused of molesting boys as young as seven at the privately run school which catered for children from troubled backgrounds who were sent there by local authorities.
The jury have heard from seven former pupils, including the five who Downing is accused of abusing.
They allege he touched them during lessons, on beach, fishing and cinema trips, in washrooms and during midnight feasts in his staff bedroom.
Downing is also alleged to have beaten a naked boy with a wooden coat hanger and made boys stand naked in a corridor as punishment.
Downing, of Warren Lane, Torrington, denied 25 charges of indecent assault or gross indecency against boys aged seven to 12.
He has been found not guilty of five counts by the jury and the Judge has directed them that three others will be dismissed at the end of the trial.
Downing denies ever touching boys inappropriately and says his contact was fatherly and caring. He said there had been physical contact with boys, but it was not sexual.
He told the jury:"I never touched a child sexually or encouraged any child to behave in a sexual way. These things which have been alleged did not happen. Never. I can assure you all these allegations are false."
↧