Deputy principal on trial for raping student at school
A retired vice principal is fighting allegations that he raped an elementary school student multiple times on school grounds, including while other students slept nearby.
Neil Morrison is accused of carrying out the sexual assaults while working as a teacher and assistant principal on the NSW south coast before retiring in 2016.
The 69-year-old man pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 10 under his authority and one count of aggravated sexual intercourse with a child between the ages of 10 and 14.
He appeared in Campbelltown District Court on Tuesday on the first day of his trial, nearly three years after his arrest.
In his opening statement, Crown prosecutor Tony McCarthy said Morrison was a Year 3 teacher at Minnamurra Public School when he asked a girl to take a stack of books to the classroom storage room.
He said the complainant would present evidence that Morrison followed her inside and closed the door behind him, pushed her to her knees and raped her as she cried.
The teacher then pushed her against a shelf and raped her again, according to the prosecutor.
A year later, Morrison allegedly took advantage of an overnight camp on school grounds to take the schoolgirl to a secluded room.
Mr McCarthy said he closed the door and curtains and told the 10-year-old girl to be quiet as he raped her again, causing her pain.
The schoolgirl did not tell anyone about the alleged sexual assaults for years, the court heard.
The hearing will include testimony from another former student, who claims Morrison regularly fondled her when she was a Grade 4 student.
Morrison has not been charged in relation to these allegations and the prosecution will rely on them as evidence of his tendency to behave sexually towards his students.
The former assistant manager denied the allegations against him.
Lifeline 13 11 14
Child Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Resolution Support Service 1800 211 028
