A retired Catholic school science teacher is to face trial, accused of molesting teenage pupils.
Thomas Black, former Head of Biology at St Mungo's Roman Catholic High School in Falkirk, faces three charges of indecently assaulting the boys, who were pupils at the school at the time.
A sheriff ruled today that Black, 72, whose case has been hit by delays linked to the coronavirus pandemic, will face trial by jury at Falkirk Sheriff Court at an assize commencing on December 13th.
It is alleged that at the school, on a single occasion between August 1985 and May 1987, Black indecently assaulted one boy, then aged 15 to 17, by touching his genitals over his clothing.
It is further alleged that on various occasions between January 1989 and May 1991, at the school, he touched and rubbed the body and genitals of another boy, then aged 15 to 17, through his clothing, and did the same to a third boy, aged 14 to 18, between August 91 and December 1995.
In the case of the third boy, it is alleged that he also indecently assaulted him while travelling in a car in Falkirk, and that he once removed the boy's private parts from his clothing before committing a manual sexual act upon him.
At a procedural hearing, solicitor-advocate Gerry Brown, defending, said Black, of Cardross Road, Dumbarton, maintained his pleas of not guilty to all three charges against him.
The court was told at a previous hearing that it was a matter of agreement that Black was working at the school at the time as Head of Biology and the alleged victims were pupils at the establishment.
Sheriff William Gilchrist ordered there should be a further pre-trial hearing, on July 21st.
St Mungo's - school motto "Let Christ Shine Through You" - describes itself as "a community of faith and learning".
Controlled by Falkirk Council, it covers the whole Falkirk local authority area, from Bo'ness in West Lothian to Bonnybridge in Stirlingshire.
