Darwin teacher faces trial on historical sex crimes involving former student

A FORMER Darwin schoolteacher accused of molesting his 15-year-old male student in the late 1990s has faced the first day of his trial in the Supreme Court.

A former schoolteacher has pleaded not guilty to having sex with one of his students at a Darwin high school in the 1990s.

A FORMER Darwin schoolteacher accused of molesting his 15-year-old male student in the late 1990s has faced the first day of his trial in the Supreme Court.

Today, Robert James McDonough, 74, pleaded not guilty to having sex with the schoolboy three times while he was a student at a Darwin high school.

Crown prosecutor Mary Chalmers told jurors McDonough had taught the boy drama and Indonesian before taking a sexual interest in him when he was in Year 10.

“The Crown case is that when (the victim) was in the last part of Year 10 and 15 years of age, he’d become, in his words, ‘a teacher’s pet’ of Mr McDonough — or Mr Mac, as he was known to many of his students,” she said.

“(The victim) will also tell you how the situation came about, the context of it, with the accused having paid him special attention at school and on occasion, bestowing favours on (him) such as allowing him to use his car.”

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Ms Chalmers said on the first occasion McDonough molested the boy he recalled him looking at him during class before a recess or lunch break when he asked him to help him with something in the drama room.

Ms Chalmers said when the boy entered the darkened room McDonough began fondling him before performing a sex act on him and telling the teenager “he’d been wanting to do that for a while”.

Prosecutors also allege McDonough had sex with the boy on two other occasions at a home in Moil that the teacher shared with his own parents.

Ms Chalmers said on the third occasion McDonough asked the boy to help him collect props for a school drama production from his home.

“(The victim) will tell you, we anticipate, that the parents were at home — or at least appeared to be home — because there was a car in the driveway and the accused was being or trying to be, quiet,” she said.

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Ms Chalmers said the boy left school after Year 11 and McDonough then moved house “very close” to him and after he turned 18 they met up for lawful sex, which was not the subject of any charge.

McDonough’s lawyer, Tom Berkley, did not address the jury.

The trial continues.