IPSWICH: A teacher sexually assaulted five schoolgirls during a music lesson nearly two decades ago, a court was told.

Kenneth Roberts, 74, groped two of the girls, put their hands down his trousers and tried to kiss them, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

Michael Crimp, prosecuting, told the court that one of the girls was left feeling “dirty and upset” after Roberts touched her intimately.

Roberts, of Pennyroyal Gardens in the Chantry area of Ipswich, has denied 11 offences of indecently assaulting five girls under the age of 16.

The court heard that when Roberts was questioned about the allegations he denied them and said they were “rubbish”.

Mr Crimp said Roberts was an accomplished organ player and had given lessons in the 1990s. “The prosecution say that when he was giving lessons he took the opportunity to indecently touch some of his pupils”, he added.

He said Roberts had not indecently assaulted all his pupils and said the jury might hear from some pupils who had no problem with him.

Mr Crimp told the court that Roberts, who he described as “slightly eccentric and touchy feely”, had abused the trust placed in him by the parents of the complainants.

He said one of Roberts’ pupils claimed he had put his hand on her inner thigh and another claimed he had put his hand on her hip or waist. A third alleged he had rubbed his hand over her knee. He told the court that two other girls had made more serious allegations of sexual assault. The court was told that none of the alleged victims had made any complaints about Roberts at the time.

The trial continues today.