Head tells jury he ‘just liked to joke’ (From The Northern Echo)

Head tells jury he ‘just liked to joke’

9:24am Thursday 15th July 2010

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A SCHOOL headteacher accused of a string of sexual offences against girls dating back more than 20 years told a jury that he was a tactile person who liked to make people feel good.

Richard Williams Whitfield, who has been described as a popular teacher, said: “It sounds silly but I like to do high fives or low fives with children if they score a goal.

“Any friends or family, give them a cuddle or a kiss on the cheek when they come in.’’ Asked by his barrister Tom Moran if he thought it was wrong, Mr Whitfield, the suspended head of Toft Hill Primary School in Bishop Auckland, said: “Not at the time”.

He also told Durham Crown Court he liked to make jokey comments to make people feel happier but said there was no sexual motive behind them.

He said: “They weren’t meant in that way but I can see someone looking at it from a different perspective, a different angle. But it was not meant to be like that.’’ Mr Whitfield, of Snowdrop Way, Etherley Dene, Bishop Auckland, denies 14 counts of indecent assault, three of indecency with a child, two of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and one of sexual assault with a child under 13. The offences involve five girls.

Some of the offences relate to a time earlier in his career and none relate to his headship.

One girl that he knew outside of school said she became uncomfortable when Mr Whitfield made comments about her developing breasts, asked to touch them and asked her for kisses and pinched her bottom – although she did not tell her parents at the time.

She denied Mr Moran’s suggestion that she had exaggerated what happened. Mr Whitfield said he had only patted her behind to send her on her way when she left the house.

The court also heard from her older sister who said Mr Whitfield had once kissed her on the lips but he told the jury it happened accidentally when he stumbled.

The court also heard Mr Whitfield received emails from his first alleged victim from a former school asking him why he had abused her. He told the court that he was initially concerned for the former pupil as she said she had lost her baby.

Under cross-examination by prosecutor Anne Richardson he said initially he “didn’t take this all in” and it was only after further messages arrived that he sought the advice of his union.

She accused him of using his popularity to groom little girls, making them feel special. He replied “No, it’s not true.’’ The case continues today.

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