Barry Knock, 51HEADTEACHER Barry Knock will fight allegations of sex offences involving five children. Parents are today being told about the charges that come eight months after Mr Knock was suspended during a police investigation.

A HEADTEACHER who has been charged with eight sex offences involving five children, will be fighting the allegations.

Barry Knock, 51, of St Mary's Primary School, Purton, is accused of seven counts of indecent assault and one of gross indecency.

When the Advertiser called at his home in the village a woman who answered the door said he had no choice but to fight.

The eight charges are alleged to have been committed between 2000 and 2003.

"The five alleged victims were all children," said Wiltshire Police spokesman Graham Chivers.

Mr Chivers would not comment on whether the children were pupils at the Purton school.

All parents with children at the school are today being sent letters telling them about the charges.

Knock was arrested in August 2004 and has been suspended from work for eight months.

He was bailed by police until March 10 to appear at North Wiltshire Magis-trates' Court.

Keith Taylor, who is chairman of governors at St Mary's, said: "An investigation has been carried out by the police and we have co-operated with that investigation.

"Mr Knock continues to be suspended from his post which as far as we are concerned was a neutral act and does not imply guilt.

"The school continues to move forward and Mr Oakes continues in his role as acting head with the full support of the staff and governors.

"The school is moving forward.

"We will be informing the parents by lettertoday."

A Wiltshire County Council spokes-man said they had been told about the charges.

"We have been notified that the police have formally charged Mr Knock and the Crown Prosecution Service intends to take the case to court," she said.

Parents are continuing to rally around Knock, a father-of-four, and his family.

One neighbour, who has two children at the school, said the community was stunned by the allegations.

"He's innocent until proven guilty," she said.

"I've always found him to be a great teacher with excellent leadership skills.

"I was shocked when I heard- nobody expected it.

"There was never a hint of any problems and until all the information comes out nobody will judge him on hearsay or gossip.

"He is a likeable man with a very nice family.

"This must be very traumatic for them."

Another neighbour, who also has two children at the school, was also full of praise for Knock.

"I'm very shocked, he is a fantastic headteacher," she said.

"It must be very hard for his family. Parents haven't really spoken about it because we don't know the full details."

Knock, who won an achievement award in 2001 from the Government for turning St Mary's around, was singled out for his strong leadership skills and his work with the Parent Teacher Association.

He joined the school in 1997.

Ben Payne