A RETIRED music teacher who is standing trial on abuse charges has told a court how he had a sexual relationship with a pupil when she was 17.

Peter Antonelli, 66, told jurors on Thursday how he taught the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, for many years at a school in East Lothian.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard Mr Antonelli tell his lawyer Brian McConnachie QC that his relationship with the girl started when he was 31 years old.

Mr Antonelli said that he had been engaged to another in the months up to becoming sexually involved with his pupil.

The jury heard that the woman sent him letters in which she “professed” her love for Mr Antonelli and referred to him as being her “boyfriend”.

In one passage, the jury heard the woman wrote: “We had some great times but the best is yet to come.”

When Mr McConnachie asked Mr Antonelli what she meant when she said that, the accused replied: “We had not yet had sexual intercourse so that was her saying the best is yet to come.”

Mr Antonelli, of Gullane, was giving evidence during proceedings which have been brought against him by prosecutors. He denies charges of sexual assault and other alleged offences.

On Thursday, Mr Antonelli told the court that he had taught piano since the 1970s to school pupils in East Lothian. He started teaching after attending the Royal College of Music in London.

He said he has been married to his wife for 26 years and had no children.

Mr Antonelli told Mr McConnachie that he was still teaching the woman piano when he started being intimate with her.

Mr Antonelli told his lawyer: “At the time it was quite common then. Not now. But back then it was quite common.”

The court heard Mr Antonelli also say that he was engaged before having the relationship with the woman. But that engagement was “paused”.

He said that they first had sex in June 1986 when she was aged 17 and a half.

When Mr McConnachie asked him whether the woman also sent him letters which contained content which had her “professing” her love to him, Mr Antonelli replied: “Yes. Several times.”

He added: “It was romantic. I know she referred to me as her boyfriend.”

The witness told the court that the sexual relationship “ran its course” by the time she left school and attended a college.

Speaking about the time the relationship ended, Mr Antonelli said: “She was still friendly.”

During his evidence, Mr Antonelli also addressed claims made during his trial that he engaged in “inappropriate” conversations with pupils about puberty and what the private parts of women smelled like.

When asked whether he spoke in these terms, Mr Antonelli said: “No. Absolutely not.”

He also denied telling dirty jokes and said that he sometimes touched pupils when they played piano to correct their posture. He said this was common and appropriate.

Mr Antonelli was giving evidence after prosecutors closed their case against him. At the end of the Crown case, prosecutors withdrew eight of the 25 charges.

Mr Antonelli has entered not guilty pleas to the remaining charges, which include lewd and libidinous conduct, and rape.

The offences are said to have occurred between 1978 and 2005 and are said to have taken place at schools in East Lothian and other locations.

Mr Antonelli has lodged special defences to indecent assault and rape charges which involve two complainers who were 16 and over at the time.

He maintains it was consensual conduct or that he held an honest belief of consent.

The trial, before judge Jamie Gilchrist QC, continues on Friday.