A TEACHER accused of having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old pupil lied about homosexual tendencies, a court was told.

Prosecuting barrister Rob Mairs told a jury at Leeds Crown Court that when first questioned, Peter Smith hid the fact that he has had a previous sexual relationship with a man.

And he said Smith – married with two children – has only now revealed the truth when he realised it would be presented in front of the jury hearing the case.

Smith, of Pilling Lane, in Scissett, denies having a sexual relationship with a teenage pupil he taught at a West Yorkshire grammar school.

The 38-year-old says he didn’t invite the boy into his office to grope and kiss him, and also denies he engaged in any sexual behaviour with the boy while on a school trip abroad.

Smith does admit having a relationship with the former pupil, but says the affair only began in 2009 when the former pupil was over the age of consent and he was no longer his teacher.

Prosecutor Mr Mairs said Smith has misled the jury by lying and making out as if the relationship with the former pupil was his first homosexual encounter.

Previously during the trial, when Smith was asked if he had engaged in any other sexual relationships with men, he replied: “Never”.

But yesterday he gave a different answer – saying he had exchanged sexually graphic texts with a man from West Yorkshire.

Mr Mairs asked him: “You’ve disclosed this now because you’ve been caught out Mr Smith, haven’t you?”

Smith replied: “I’m very mindful of the public interest in this case and the least damage and further damage that I can do by publicly playing out all my sexual misgivings and the damage that it could cause to my wife and family.

“I didn’t want to disclose my sexual activity with other men.”

The court heard extracts of explicit texts between Smith and the man referring to oral sex. And the jury heard how he had arranged to meet the man while his wife was out at work.