A FORMER teacher accused of sexual misconduct involving three former pupils has denied any wrongdoing.

Minshull Street Crown Court heard Anthony McNally took early retirement after an allegation of touching a pupil’s leg emerged in 1995.

The English teacher, who worked at Derby Grammar School in Bury and later Woodhey High at Ramsbottom, was hit with allegations from a pupil’s step-father 27 years ago.

He told the court he was cleared by governors but a legal battle ensued between them and Bury Council about whether he could return to work.

McNally said it eventually went to the Court of Appeal. But he took early retirement in 2003, eight years after he had last been inside a classroom.

McNally, 73, is now on trial accused of four counts of indecently assaulting three former pupils.

The first two gave statements to police after hearing allegations against McNally in the media in 2000. But the first felt unable to give evidence at a trial and the case was discontinued.

It has come to court after the third complainant told a counsellor at Healthy Young Minds in Bury McNally had abused him and the other two were contacted by police.

One female alleges McNally gave her a lift home from a party and forced her hand to touch his genitals. The second male complainant said McNally “abused” him twice touching his private parts on consecutive days during a school trip to the Lake District.

The final complainant told the court his English teacher took him to his home where he plied him with wine, got him to stay overnight and he awoke to find him in bed beside him before he asked the boy to touch his genitals.

Giving evidence, McNally said he did not remember the first complainant and said no parties took place at the time.

He also said he drove a left-hand drive car, which meant the female's account, concerning the angle he was alleged to have struck from, could not be true.

McNally said he did not remember the second complainant as a pupil, but said he accepted a photograph of them together on the school trip was him.

Prosecutor Geoff Whelan said: “I’m suggesting you do remember him, you fully remember what you did to him.”

McNally replied: “That is an appalling thing to accuse me of.”

McNally admitted the third complainant had stayed over his house but could not recall how he got there.

He admitted he had not followed proper safeguarding procedures about this.

But he denied any entering the same bed as him, saying the spare room had a single bed and he could not have fitted in.

Mr Whelan asked: “You are a predatory paedophile aren’t you?”

McNally, of Rhine Close, Tottington, replied: “Certainly not.”

The trial, before Recorder Abigail Hudson, continues.