A teacher who allegedly sexually abused pupils had fear in his eyes when he was almost caught in the act, a court was told.

It is claimed Peter Shotton was disturbed as he committed sex acts with an eight-year-old boy in school changing rooms. The boy, now a teenager, alleged Shotton indecently assaulted him there and in a stationery cupboard at Bewbush Middle School, Crawley.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claimed the assaults took place over four years in the Nineties.

His voice barely audible, he told a jury at Hove Crown Court how the abuse was nearly discovered.

He said: "Once two kids missed assembly and hid in the toilets.

They tried to push the door to the changing rooms open. Peter Shotton had fear in his eyes as he pushed against the door and told them to go away."

The teenager said he felt degraded and embarrassed and did not feel able to tell anyone what had happened at the time. He said he came forward after reading Shotton had been arrested for allegedly abusing a boy at the school in 2005.

A third boy made similar allegations against Shotton.

Mr Meredith, defending, told the teenager: "There is no truth in your accusations against him.

"His case is that he did not do any of these things to you."

The teenager replied: "That is bulls***."

Shotton, 55, of The Twitten, Albourne, near Hurstpierpoint, denies 11 charges of indecent assault and gross indecency with three pupils between 1995 and 2005.

The trial continues.