A girl who claims she was abused by a teacher of special needs has described journeys in the back of his car.

The child was giving evidence against Gareth Malachy Clarke, aged 39, of Oxcarr Lane, Strensall, who denies three charges of indecent assaults.

The offences, one against the girl, and two against an older girl, are alleged to have taken place as he was driving them home.

Giving evidence at York Crown Court, the younger girl claimed the children had laughed and sang in the back seats and that one child had put a "jelly" or "jam" on his hair. When Clarke stopped to remove it, at least one of the children had sounded the car's horn.

The younger girl denied the girls had put their feet out of the window. She accepted that one of them may have put their head out of the window, but she couldn't remember.

She denied that she had bullied children in a class. But the jury heard that the girl's teacher had had to speak to her twice about her behaviour.

They also heard police had spoken to 22 pupils at the special needs school where Clarke teaches, but none had made any allegation of misconduct.

The trial continues.

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