A MUSIC teacher described a former friend as one of the most amoral people' he had ever met while giving evidence at Dorchester Crown Court.

Prosecutor Robert Griffiths asked Ian Huw Garland if he said that about her because she had expressed concerns over his relationships with young people.

Garland, 30, of Stonechat Close, Weymouth, said it was not.

The woman, a singer had previously appeared for the prosecution and told the court she had been friends with Garland until she heard rumours about his relationships with minors.

Garland has pleaded not guilty to four charges of sexual activity with a boy aged 15 and not guilty to twice indecently assaulting a girl when she was 12 and 14.

The piano tutor told jurors he had been friends with the singer for a couple of years but did not realise how harsh' she could be at first.

He added: "In my opinion she's one of the most amoral people I've ever met in my life."

Under cross-examination, Garland denied ever touching a schoolgirl student's leg with his hands or a conductor's baton during one-to-one classes.

He also said that on the day he is alleged to have touched her at his parents' Wyke Regis home that his mother was also in the house.

Jurors were told by Garland that the girl had displayed increasing amounts of animosity' towards him after failing some auditions.

Garland said the animosity included snide comments' and said: "One time she did actually have quite a go at me."

Garland also denied touching, kissing or performing sex acts on a schoolboy student and described him as an over the top' person.

Garland said: "He liked to say things for effect. He liked to brag to people whether they wanted to hear it or not.

"I seem to remember there were occasions where he mentioned or discussed things that were perhaps, I would consider, inappropriate."

He added that the boy was quite open about the fact that he was gay'.

Garland also admitted posing as a girl called Laura online but denied it was to encourage young men to send him explicit material.

Garland said it was a laugh' and that he regrets doing it in hindsight.

Victoria Garland, the accused's wife, said she would cook meals for the boy who alleges the sexual activity, adding that it seemed a courteous and Christian' thing to do.

The trial continues.