Thursday, December 3, 2009

UT: Former school custodian charged with sexual abuse

December 3rd, 2009 @ 9:23am
From KSL.com: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=8893807

SALT LAKE COUNTY -- A former school custodian who got a helping hand from students now faces a sexual abuse charge following claims that he groped a woman.

Terry Birch, 44, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with sexual abuse for allegedly touching a 35-year-old woman who has Down syndrome.

According to the Deseret News, court documents say it happened at the woman's residence near 3300 South Pearce Drive (2750 West). Court documents say the woman, who functions on a 5- to 7-year-old level, claims she told Birch no when he touched her.

Birch is hearing-impaired and is a former janitor at Olympus Jr. High School. In 2006 students raised money for a surgery to improve Birch's hearing.

Birch now faces a second-degree felony. His bail is set at $150,000.

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