A driving instructor who appeared to be a "friendly old man" allegedly used his "position of power" to indecently assault five of his students over the course of seven years, a court has heard.
Kenneth Campbell, 64, has pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of aggravated indecent assault, with the alleged offending occurring between 2013 and 2020.
The Adelaide Magistrates Court heard Mr Campbell had allegedly touched the legs, upper thighs, or breasts — and during one incident the genital area — of his alleged victims, during driving lessons or while parked at their homes.
Two of the complainants were high school students at the time of the offending.
The court heard those two victims were the first to separately report the alleged incidents to police, leading to Mr Campbell's arrest in June 2020.
It heard three other women, not known to each other, later come forward at separate times after seeing media coverage about the arrest of an "eastern suburbs driving instructor".
Prosecutors today told the court Mr Campbell acted in an "opportunistic" manner against the alleged victims, making "inappropriate" and "sexual comments" alongside physical touching.
It heard Mr Campbell had touched several of the alleged victims to "congratulate" them for performing a driving manoeuvre correctly.
The court heard Mr Campbell told investigating officers that any contact with students had been "accidental" or had "never occurred".
It heard the instructor described himself as a "tactile" person but denied acting in a sexually inappropriate manner.
The trial is expected to continue for several days, with evidence to be taken from the alleged victims and others.
