A primary school pupil was sexually assaulted on an ‘almost daily’ basis by a deputy headteacher, it was claimed in court.

The female complainant told a jury that Grahame Brennand’s actions at Baxenden St John’s primary school were ‘not accidental’ and that she has been left ‘haunted’ by the incidents.

Mr Brennand, 70, is standing trial accused of carrying out sex attacks on 25 female pupils and subjecting two boys to acts of cruelty over two decades.

He denies 48 counts of indecent assault and four counts of cruelty made against him.

One woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, told the jury at Preston Crown Court that Mr Brennand would ‘often’ sexually touch and grope her while she was working.

She said: “It happened almost daily. It wasn’t accidental.

“I wouldn’t say it lasted a long time but it wasn’t accidental.”

The court heard that the complainant was ‘haunted the most’ by an alleged incident when she claims Mr Brennand hugged her from behind, put his hands around her chest and kissed the back of her head, neck and shoulders.

She said: “I just felt uncomfortable. It was part of what was going on and it happened to other pupils as well.”

Mr Brennand, who lived in the Hyndburn area for 40 years and now lives in Preston, is also accused of carrying out acts of cruelty against pupils.

The complainant told the jury that misbehaving boys would be ‘left with red marks that lasted for a very long time’ when they were slapped on the backs of their legs.

She said: “We always saw boys getting hit.

“It was part of the classroom ethos.

“It wasn’t a quick chastisement and slap. It was like ‘everybody put your pencils down and everybody watch this’.

“Everybody soaked up the fear in the room knowing that it could be you if you didn’t toe the line.”

Mr Brennand denies all the claims made against him.

PROCEEDING