A FORMER teacher accused of indecently assaulting a pupil at Ampleforth College has said he does not remember the incident.

Dr Paul Sheppard was a science teacher at the prestigious school in the late 1980s as part of his teacher training in his native Canada.

It is alleged he touched the 10-year-old, who was part of a group of four in trouble for missing a prep lesson, when he was alone with him in his classroom, but he told York Crown Court he does not recall what happened.

The court heard the 52-year-old spent one term at Ampleforth College after serving in the Canadian air force. He was educated at Ridley College in his home country and revealed corporal punishment was common.

He admitted punishing pupils at the North Yorkshire school in the same way he was disciplined as a child, by spanking them, but said there was no policy in place to do so.

Once they had all been punished, Sheppard, who went on to have a glittering career in education after leaving Ampleforth and worked in schools across the world, is alleged to have given the boys £5 to buy some food because they had missed supper.

When he was asked about the assault and if he recognised the claimant, he said his recollection was vague given it was more than two decades since he had last seen him.

"I don't remember doing this," he said.

"I would never have asked them to remove their trousers or underpants.

"I accept it's possible that I could have administered corporal punishment because I did when I was there.

"Ampleforth College had no policy as regards to it but it was my understanding that it was in common use. I myself witnessed another member of staff doing it on another occasion."

Sheppard, currently of Graham Road, Purley, Surrey, was arrested and questioned by police in December 2014 when he arrived at Heathrow Airport to visit relatives for Christmas.

During cross examination by prosecuting barrister Tony Kelbrick, he said feeling shocked by his arrest was "an understatement".

He said there was no way of knowing how many pupils he had punished by spanking because it was never recorded.

"It might be one in a week or several given the behaviour of the students. I would have no way of recording any figures because there was no recording system," he added.

The trial continues.