4:49pm Thursday 28th May 2009
A jury trying the headmaster of a Pembrokeshire primary school accused of sexually touching five young girls has been sent home for the night without reaching any verdicts.
David Bryan Thorley, aged 56, has been standing trial at Swansea crown court accused of 11 offences of sexual touching.
Part way through his trial Judge Michael Burr dismissed eight similar allegations after deciding there was insufficient "evidence of quality" to ask a jury to consider.
One girl has described how Thorley took her into the toilets at Withybush hospital, Haverfordwest, after she had fallen and broken her collarbone.
She said he took down her trousers and underwear on three separate occasions.
Another allegation is that he inspected the private parts of a young girl after she complained of being sore.
Two other girls claim that Thorley applied talcum powder after taking them swimming.
Thorley told the jury of the "complete devastation" caused by the case and of the personal tragedy he had suffered as a result of the allegations.
He said he acted properly to children and cared for them according to child protection guidelines.
He helped the girl in the toilet at her request and because she could not do it herself. He denied inspecting the second girl and said a female teacher had done so, but not him.
The girls taken swimming had applied the powder themselves, he added.
Thorley, of Bryn Heulog, Heol Penlanffos, Carmarthen, denies all the charges against him.
The jury will resume their deliberations tomorrow morning.
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