DA: East Boston gym teacher showed up drunk, groped 10-year-olds

BOSTON — A gym teacher at an East Boston elementary school was drunk when he groped 10-year-old girls at the school, prosecutors said in court Thursday.

Nicholas Speller face multiple charges of indecent assault on a child after an incident reported at the Patrick J. Kennedy School Wednesday.

MORE: Boston Public Schools gym teacher charged with indecent assault on a child

Police arrested Speller a short time later at the school.

The 31-year-old from Malden is being charged with four counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of fourteen. Prosecutors say four 10-year-old girls told school officials that Speller was drunk and touched them inappropriately while in gym class Wednesday afternoon.

"That Mr. Speller had touched her in the area of her breasts, said sorry and then put his arm around her," said Suffolk County DA's Office ADA Brian LeBlanc.

Prosecutors say he then whispered in her ear to come with me, I want to show you something.

One girl told the principal Mr. Speller rubbed his genital area after getting her into a school closet. Two other girls say he touched their legs and buttocks.

He has since been placed on administrative leave  pending the outcome of the case and his attorney, wife and two children showed up in court with him Thursday.

"Shocked. Not surprised. Shocked," said Speller's pastor Bishop Henry Moultrie II. "He's a prayful young man. We're all just shocked about these allegations."

An automated call was sent to parents of students at the school to address a situation occurred, but didn’t go into specifics.

“Please know the safety of our students is always a top priority of the Boston Public Schools, and at the P.J. Kennedy School,” the message said. “We have spoke with the parents of the students who were directly impacted and are providing counseling to any children who are in need of support.”

Speller has been with BPS since 2011, in different roles at different schools. Prosecutors say he has no prior record.

Speller's attorney says the accusations are vague and untrue.

He was held on $2,500 cash bail after the hearing.

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