A former pupil has told a court about her “inappropriate” relationship with an Angus music teacher.
The ex-student, now in her 20s, said that Dean Bromage groped her bottom as he helped adjust her hoodie, and appeared jealous when she told him she had kissed a boy her own age.
Bromage, 33, is on trial at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, accused of engaging in sexual activity with three pupils at his school between 2012 and 2015.
One of the former pupils – who cannot be named for legal reasons – told the jury that the incident happened after their relationship had become “flirtatious”.
‘We hugged a lot’
The woman told the court that the music department became a place of refuge for her due to problems in her personal life.
She said that Bromage would often hug her and once told her he was jealous that she had kissed a boy her own age.
She said: “I can’t pinpoint when things changed. I think it was more that I was able to share how I was feeling with Dean Bromage because I felt very supported there.
“The relationship we had with each other became flirtatious. At the time it felt like the build up to a relationship or moment.
“The relationship had changed and had become inappropriate.”
She continued: “To me, it felt like there was always the potential for something to happen between us. We hugged a lot.
“I knew it was inappropriate because I knew no one could know about it, but I didn’t know why I knew it was wrong.”
Tried to impress teacher
She denied a suggestion from Bromage’s defence agent Gordon Martin that he had merely been hugging her to console her during a difficult period in her life.
“At the time I thought he was giving me a cuddle because he cared,” she said.
The woman admitted pretending to be sexually active to “impress” her teacher, but said when she told him about kissing a male pupil Bromage made an inappropriate comment about being jealous.
She said Bromage had groped her while in the music department.
“We asked Dean Bromage to take a photo of us,” she said. “He said my hoodie was squint and he straightened it. But he put his hand on my bum.”
She said there was a further incident at the school’s end of year dance.
“I was dancing with Dean Bromage,” she said. “During that dancing he said he would wait for me and we could be together. He said that he would wait for me to finish high school.”
She said the incidents left her feeling “horrible” and “weird”.
Allegations
Bromage is alleged to have engaged in sexual activity with three pupils at the school over a three year period. He denies all charges.
Bromage, of Fotheringham Drive, Monifieth, is said to have engaged in sexual activity with the girls whilst in a position of trust between August 2012 and August 2015.
It is alleged that he made sexual comments to and repeatedly cuddled all three women, while also touching the bottoms of two of them over their clothing.
The trial before Sheriff Gilchrist continues.
