NASSAU- A married pastor allegedly told a student that he loved her before he tongue kissed her, a court heard.
A former student at Grace Christian School of Excellence made the explosive allegation against Pastor Thomas Nottage when she took the witness stand.
For his part, Nottage, who is also the school’s principal, has maintained his innocence at his indecent assault trial before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt.
The witness, who was 13 when the incident allegedly took place, is now 15.
The girl said she was waiting for her ride around 3:30pm on January 29, 2020, when Nottage called her into his office. No one else was inside since his wife, who is the school’s vice principal, had gone out, she said.
Once in the officer, the student said that Nottage told her that he loved her. At that time, she didn’t think anything of it, because she told him she loved him too.
The teenager testified, “I told him I loved him as a father. I mean, like someone I looked up to, like a role model. He took care of me. If I didn’t have money, he gave me food. He had hugged me before in his office, and on those occasions, it was just me and him. The hug he gave me on that day was inappropriate – like what a boyfriend would give to a girlfriend. He then kissed me on my lips three times. Then, on the fourth kiss, he put his tongue in my mouth.”
Rape fear
The shocked teen recalled backing away from Nottage. Suddenly, he asked her to put empty five-gallon water bottles inside his wife’s car.
She testified, “When I looked, I realized that his wife had just pulled up outside.”
The girl said she believed that Nottage would have raped her if his wife hadn’t returned.
Distraught, the teen dutifully put the jugs into the car’s trunk before she returned to where her friend was waiting on her ride.
The friend said the girl eventually confided that Nottage had kissed her—and she advised her not to remain silent about the incident.
The girl said her her uncle and mother reported the matter to police after they confronted Nottage about allegations.
During cross-examination by Nottage’s lawyer, Keith Seymour, the witness that she was lying to get back at Nottage for beating her for being disrespectful.
The trial continues. Attorney Samantha Miah is prosecuting.
