The jury in the trial for a former teacher at Auckland’s Dilworth School, who’s accused of historical sex crimes, has retired to deliberate.
Leonard Cave, 75, is facing 12 charges, spanning almost four decades.
He’s accused of eight counts of indecent assault including two on a person under the age of 16, one charge of inducing an under 16 year old to do an indecent act, and one of sexual violation.
He is also alleged to have supplied drugs to his former students, with one charge each for the supply of the Class C drug cannabis and the Class A drug LSD.
The jury’s heard evidence from more than a dozen witnesses over the last week, including five complainants.
Four are former students of Dilworth and one attended St Paul’s in Hamilton during Cave’s tenure there.
Both the Crown prosecutor and the defendant’s lawyer presented their closing arguments on Monday.
READ MORE: Dilworth sex crime complainants labelled 'unreliable' by defence lawyer
Before Justice Mary Peters sent the jury to deliberate, she reminded them “Mr Cave doesn’t have to prove anything.”
She urged the jury not to read into the delay in complaints being laid.
Peters also suggested that an assessment of witnesses’ reliability is particularly important in this case.
She referred to the time that’s passed since the alleged offending, and as the defence has pointed out, the intoxication of some complainants during the events they have recalled.
She said that doesn’t discount their evidence, but that caution should be taken.
“You might think some of what a witness said was credible and reliable but have doubts about other bits of it.”
READ MORE: Man says former Dilworth teacher chased him down road after escape
Jurors were also called to put aside any emotions they may feel in relation to the case.
She acknowledged the many allegations that have surfaced about Dilworth.
Cave is one of 12 men charged with historical sex crimes in connection to the Boy’s Boarding School.
More than 130 former students have also joined a class action which alleges Dilworth School failed to protect students from systemic sexual abuse over four decades.
The school is in the process of setting up an independent inquiry and a redress programme, which abuse survivors have had input into.
READ MORE: Dilworth School seeks feedback from abuse survivors
Justice Peters told the jury, “You have you put those feelings of prejudice and sympathy, and possibly wanting to put things right for these chaps out of your head.
“Society requires judges, you and me, to put our feelings, our personal likes and dislikes, completely to one side.”
She told jurors to focus on the “cold, hard evidence.”
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