A school teacher accused of molesting students has told the court that he ‘deeply regrets’ his actions after admitting to sexual assault charges in court.
The man, nicknamed on social media as ‘the human wolf’, appeared at the High Criminal Court yesterday following his arrest on suspicion of touching six boys inappropriately, including a seven-year-old.
Prosecutors issued a statement clarifying that the assault was ‘only external’ and denounced claims that the victims sustained serious injuries or bled as a result of the assault.
The Public Prosecution also condemned other rumours circulating on social media about the incident, such as speculation about the place of the crime or the defendant’s nationality.
“I know that I made a giant mistake,” the Bahraini government school teacher told judges yesterday, and expressed remorse for molesting his students.
If found guilty, the teacher could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment if the court rules that the charges were committed with aggravating circumstances.
In an earlier statement, the Family and Child Prosecution revealed that it had received a report from the Northern Governorate Police Directorate about an off-campus child sexual assault incident committed by a teacher.
During the investigation, the father of the seven-year-old stated that his son had accompanied the defendant to a commercial complex, with permission, when the teacher molested him.
He stated that the boy was ‘touched across his body and private parts’ by the teacher in the centre’s parking lot.
“The forensic report found evidence that the defendant touched the victim’s clothes and private parts, matching the details in his confession and the victim’s testimony,” the statement said.
“No evidence was found that the defendant made complete sexual contact with the child victim.”
Following the initial report, five other students came forward about being molested by the defendant, according to the Public Prosecution. Pupils had stated that the defendant was ‘used to’ touching them inappropriately.
Drastic measures are being taken to guarantee the privacy of information in child sexual assault cases and to forbid its circulation on social media, according to the prosecution, in order to ‘protect them from attempts of exposure or exploitation’.
“There is no truth to what is circulating about the case, especially the claim that the victims sustained physical injuries from the assault, or claiming that the defendant is of an Arab nationality.
“These rumours are an attempt to tarnish the reputation of our country’s educational institutions and their role in our nation’s development.”
The prosecution concluded by calling for people to practise their freedom of speech without transgressing on the freedoms of others.
The hearing was adjourned to Tuesday for defence arguments.
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