'All of them are lying?' - Robert Gould concludes his evidence in Rushden sexual abuse trial

Robert Gould was on the stand at Northampton Crown Court yesterday (Monday, January 20) morning to complete his testimony.

The 74-year-old, of Wellingborough Road, Rushden, was a teacher at South End Junior School when the abuse is said to have take place. He denies all 30 charges against him.

Gould’s evidence began on Friday and yesterday he was again under cross-examination from prosecution barrister Claire Howell.

He was asked about touching the bottoms of boys when he was tucking their shirts in, which was the evidence of two witnesses earlier in the trial.

Ms Howell asked him: “You wouldn’t need to squeeze a child’s buttocks when tucking in their clothing, so Witness B was lying when he says that you did it to him?”

"Yes,” replied Gould.

"And can you also say that a teacher would have no need to look down a child’s trousers?” she asked.

"Yes,” replied Gould.

"So Witness C was lying when he said you did it to him?”

"Yes,” replied Gould, who was wearing a black jumper and blue shirt.

Gould denied every allegation put to him during questioning.

Ms Howell asked him if the excuse that he had been ‘checking clothing’ while allegedly abusing boys had ‘worked.’

“It worked so you kept using it didn’t you?” she said.

“I didn’t say that to a child,” said Gould.

He confirmed that three of the defendants who didn’t know each other but had made similar allegations must have all been lying.

He was shown a chart with pictures of all 14 witnesses on it.

"All of them, you say, are lying?” asked Ms Howell.

"Yes,” said Gould.

"Each and every one of them?” asked Ms Howell.

"Yes,” replied Gould.

He was asked about a police interview in 2021 when he had initially only been told about one allegation against him. He had told police that he "didn’t remember these people.”

“Is it true,” asked Ms Howell, “that you have sexually abused so many children you have simply lost count?”

"No,” replied Gould.

Today (Tuesday) the jury is expected to hear closing speeches from the advocates before retiring.

Read all our trial coverage here:

Rushden teacher accused of assaulting 14 boys goes on trial

‘I didn’t think it was right,” says boy who claims he was assaulted by Gould

'And in that moment all of the memories of him molesting me came flooding back'

Rushden man disclosed before he died that he was 'raped in cupboard' by teacher Robert Gould

Robert Gould 'got into my bed' and 'raped me’ says man who alleges he was abused as a child

Accused teacher Robert Gould takes the stand and says he ‘absolutely’ did not abuse 14 children