The school teacher in a sex abuse case yesterday told a Supreme Court jury he was not afraid to touch his students to encourage them.

He said it was important to touch a student if he or she had done well or had accomplished something new.

Earlier, the boy's mother broke down and cried when she told of the effect on her son of repeatedly attending court at least ten times since 1994.

"It's not fair,'' she said. "I could not believe that it (being on the stand) would make him cry. It's not fair for a 16-year-old!'' The 32-year-old defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies fondling the boy for a sexual purpose while in a position of trust, between the beginning of October 1993 and December 31, 1993.

He also denies inviting the boy to touch him for a sexual purpose between those dates.

Under questioning by his lawyer Archie Warner, the man told the court: "If they (students) are from single parent homes or have social troubles, I tried to let them see males in a different light.'' "They seemed to appreciate that. Many times they would come to me and hug me.

It seemed to me they liked me and I was getting through.'' He said the alleged victim was "kinda crafty'' and he moved the boy next to him to handle disruptive behaviour and help with his school work.

The man refuted the claim of the boy that the alleged abuse -- running his hand in circles on the boy's thigh and private parts -- would go on for a whole 45-minute class period.

The man said he would walk around and ask students if they needed clarification.

He added: "I would always walk along the aisles. At my desk I would look at my lesson plan or mark work.'' Under questioning by Mr. Warner the man flatly denied he "rubbed and played with'' the boy's leg and touched his penis.

"I heard him say that,'' the man said.

"Did you do that?'' Mr. Warner asked.

"No,'' he replied.

"Let's get something clear,'' the man added. "I would pat them on the shoulder and say `hey good job'. Things like that.'' The boy's mother also related a meeting with the accused, the private school's principal, two ministers associated with the school, and the alleged victim's parents. She said: "He said `well (the boy) doesn't lie. So what he said must be true'. He said at the time they were just skylarking and playing.'' "He just kept saying he wished it never happened and he was sorry,'' the woman added. " The mother said her son told her his teacher would "run his long fingernails on his leg''.

She added that the teacher had asked her son to touch his penis and that money was offered to him.

"It went from $100 to $1 million,'' she said.

The case continues today before Chief Justice Austin Ward. Sandra Bacchus appears for the Crown.