Warblington School teacher tells jury he 'made a lot of mistakes' but is innocent
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PE teacher Sean Aldridge, 37, is accused of preying on four girls aged 13 to 16 at Warblington School, Havant, between 2006-2012.
Giving evidence at Portsmouth Crown Court, Aldridge insisted he never had any sexual encounters with pupils during his time at the school.
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Hide AdDefending himself against the 28 allegations of sexual activity with girls, an emotional Aldridge said he was innocent but could have behaved better.
He said: ‘I’m not guilty. My practices back then were wrong - like giving out my coaching phone number and chatting with students.
‘Looking back I made a lot of mistakes. Even after I was arrested I would let students come into my office.
‘I went on courses telling you that was the right way to be but now I would be terrified to have kids in my office.
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Hide Ad‘I was so concerned about wanting kids to like me. I would go above and beyond what I should do.
‘Everything has ruined my life. I feel like I’m dead. I will never be the same person again.’
Asked whether texting occurred with one of the girls before putting his hand down her top and pants, Aldridge said: ‘No never.’
Questioned why texts were exchanged with the girls, Aldridge said: ‘They wanted to keep in touch with me.’
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Hide AdProsecutor Robert Bryan highlighted texts from Aldridge to the girls. One read: ‘I miss that too and thought you didn’t want to carry on.’
The defendant replied: ‘Maybe she was just talking about meeting or chatting. I would give her a hug. She was upset and I wanted her to know someone cared about her.’
Aldridge admitted addressing one girl as ‘babes’ but said it was just normal to speak in those terms.
The defendant said malicious rumours were posted on Facebook leading to his former partner ‘having a stroke with all the stress’.
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Hide AdIt was also said by the defence that Aldridge didn’t have a mole in his groin area or a hairy chest as was suggested by some of the alleged victims.
Earlier yesterday his barrister Heather Stangoe said it was ‘nonsense’ that police had not collected the complainants’ phone billing records. DCI Paul Longhurst told jurors: ‘If someone is not a suspect of a crime it is not policy to do this.’
Dad-of-two Aldridge, of Edmund Road, Southsea, denies 28 counts of sexual activity with the girls.
(Proceeding)