Jurors can expect to hear "extreme and disturbing evidence" as the trial of a former primary school teacher accused of sexually exploiting 11 young girls unfolds, Prosecutor Juan Wolffe said yesterday.

The defendant, a 53-year-old Smith's parish man who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies the charges which relate to a series of incidents alleged to have occurred between 1997 and 1999. The trial began yesterday before Assistant Justice Charles-Etta Simmons and a jury of nine women and three men.

Mr. Wolffe told the jury they would hear evidence that the defendant abused his position of trust as a teacher by inappropriately touching 11 girls and inciting one to touch his penis.

In evidence yesterday, the court heard from two of the alleged victims. The girls - who were eight and seven years old at the time of the alleged attacks - told of incidents of touching which occurred during school hours and in the building.

The first girl to testify, now 12 years old, said the defendant had placed his hand under her shirt and rubbed her private parts while she and other students from her class watched a movie. She testified that she had asked him to stop but he had not. The girl also testified that the accused passed her a note that said `I love you' but later asked for it back.

On cross-examination defence attorney Elizabeth Christopher asked the girl whether she had ever said to the defendant that he loved one side of the class she was in more than the other.

"No, I didn't say that," she replied. Ms Christopher also suggested that the defendant had never passed the girl a note.

"I am not confused," she replied. "He gave me a note."

The girl admitted however, that she could not recall whether the incident occurred prior to November 1998. The second alleged victim to testify, now 11 years of age, told the court that in May of 1999 - when she was seven - the defendant would rub her stomach while her class was in its P3 reading groups.

She also said he had told her he loved her. "How did that make you feel," asked Mr. Wolffe. "I thought he was just being generous," she replied.

The girl said she had been unsure whether what he was doing was wrong or not, but that she had not told anyone about the incidents because she was scared.

On cross-examination, Ms Christopher asked whether the defendant had ever touched her private parts. "No," she replied.

Ms Christopher also asked the girl about her friends at school and whether they had discussed things the defendant was said to have done.

The girl said they had not. Ms Christopher suggested that the man had never told the girl he loved her and rather she was repeating what others claimed he said. "No," she replied.

The court also heard from mothers of the two alleged victims yesterday who established the age of the children today and at the time of the alleged incidents.

The prosecution will continue to present its case today. Mr. Wolffe is being assisted by Shakira Dill.