A teacher accused of sexually abusing a boy in the 1990s and tying him to her bed before committing a sex act had been 'trusted' by his family, a court heard today. Deborah Franklin, 65, is on trial charged with eight counts of gross indecency against the boy while he was aged between nine and 12 - when she was a teacher at a preparatory school in Hertfordshire and the boy's private tutor. Jurors at St Albans Crown Court heard that at one point Franklin was spotted under the covers in bed with the boy by his sister and was regularly seen by other pupils holding his hands during school trips. They also heard that married Franklin was a 'trusted' figure to the boy's family since she was often alone with him in the bedroom 'without an adult'. It was in both his home and hers that multiple sexual acts are alleged to have taken place and where Franklin is accused of taking her clothes off in front of the boy, kissing him, and getting him to touch her. She is also accused of blindfolding and strapping the boy to her marital bed for hours so she could sexually tickle him with a feather during a years-long campaign of abuse. Franklin, of Radlett, Hertfordshire, is said to have met the alleged victim, now in his 40s, when he was nine and joined her class – before she became his private tutor. He claims they had 'countless' sexual encounters, and said he was led to believe that he was in a relationship with Franklin – who was around 30 when the alleged abuse began. Franklin wore a headscarf, sunglasses, a cap, and a long black coat as she arrived at St Albans Crown Court today Franklin, 65, is accused of eight counts of gross indecency against a boy while he was aged between nine and 12 in the 1990s and she was his private tutorThe man said in a recorded interview: 'I remember her clothes were off and she was teaching me how to touch a woman, and I remember saying: "It smells funny"... I remember her just telling me what to do and I would just do it.' During one alleged sexual encounter, the man said Franklin called out her husband's name. Blonde Franklin, who wore a long black dress and blazer with gold hair clips in court today, denies the sexual acts took place and said she could not remember tutoring the boy. Franklin previously told jurors it was 'quite common for teachers and parents and children to socially interact'. Jurors also heard that the boy disclosed the abuse before his 13th birthday, but his father cut off all contact with Franklin rather than contacting police to avoid 'causing a scene' at his Bar Mitzvah. Today, prosecutor Gavin Pottinger told the court that the 'world has changed' from when the incidents are alleged to have taken place, adding that people were more 'trusting' then. Mr Pottinger said in his closing argument: 'The world has changed. People were more trusting. You may think of his family "What were they doing?" You have got to bear that in mind. It's not an easy job, but we say you can come to the conclusion you can be sure about what the complainant has told you.'Have you heard any real reason for him to make this up? It's easy to not be sure if you have heard a real reason for him to lie.' Franklin denies all charges against her Mr Pottinger reminded jurors of the complainant's 'detailed' and 'specific recollections' as he accused Franklin of being 'very careful' during the alleged abuse.'He was not willing to commit to the details unless he had a clear memory... He said he was trying to put himself back in the room. Is that someone making a performance for whatever vengeful reason? Or is that someone telling the truth,' added the prosecutor. 'He was very clear and compelling, I think, about the confusing nature of what was going on. He said "I thought she was my girlfriend".'Mr Pottinger said it was 'significant' and 'unusual' that 'a number of people' had seen the complainant in bed with the teacher, without much work being done.'He was never seen sitting at his desk, was he? What was also clear is she was over attentive at school. His friend was very clear that this was a teacher's pet.'This is a woman whose boundaries were just not there.' He said that Franklin was often at the boy's house, adding: 'You know she was trusted because she was up there in the bedroom without an adult.' Defence barrister Aisling Byrnes said in her closing argument: 'Sadly we know that from time to time people make allegations, even forceful, repeated, vigorous allegations that are simply not true.' The barrister said that the complainant's account has 'too many difficulties' and 'too much inherent unlikelihood'. She asked jurors to consider when a 'busy' teacher could have taken 'the opportunity to carry out this sexual abuse', adding: 'How on earth did it happen?'Ms Byrnes also said that the members of the complainant's family were often at home, adding: 'It's so unlikely that anything happened in that bedroom.'She said: 'There was nothing to stop (the complainant) complaining about this to everyone and anyone.' The defence barrister later added: 'This is, in essence, at heart a case of one person's word against another.' Judge Kamran Choudhry, giving his legal directions to the jury, said that prosecutors say the complainant, now in his 40s, has 'consistently recounted the substance of the allegations over many years to many people'. The complainant reported the alleged incidents to police in 2024, the court heard.The judge said: '(The prosecution) say those disclosures are broadly consistent with the account he now gives.'He added that the defence's case is that Franklin's relationship with the boy was 'entirely proper' and not 'unusually close and inappropriate'.The defendant, giving evidence on Monday, told jurors it was 'quite common for teachers and parents and children to socially interact'.The court heard that Franklin had told police during an interview that she could not recall tutoring the boy, but that 'little bits have come back' from looking at old photographs and talking with her legal team. She added: 'Things pop into your mind, I've had a long time to think about it.'Of Franklin's claim she could not remember the complainant, Mr Pottinger said: 'This was someone who was memorable. Does she have a problem with the memory? She is an intelligent woman. The complainant wasn't a surprise, not a rabbit pulled out of a hat. 'I would suggest the interview wasn't a frank approach. You can see the approach changing in the course of that interview.'She played down the contact she had with the family. Of course, that's the key issue. If you think the complainant would be memorable, then she's not being frank in her evidence.' Earlier, Mr Pottinger had asked Franklin: 'Did you in fact remember (the boy) a good deal more than you are admitting to?'The defendant replied: 'No.'Mr Pottinger asked: 'You are choosing, still choosing, not to remember anything that happened in those years aren't you?'Franklin replied: 'No.'Ms Byrnes asked the defendant if there was 'any truth' in the allegations that she sexually touched the boy during tutoring sessions.Franklin replied: 'No.'The defendant told jurors that it would not have been 'unusual' to be in a pupil's bedroom or on their bed while tutoring them. Mr Pottinger told jurors that Franklin 'is not telling you the truth'.Earlier a former colleague of the defendant, Dean Stephenson said he was 'shocked' to hear the allegations.Mr Stephenson, who worked with Franklin for 16 years, said he did not recognise the claims against her 'at all' as he called her 'a very open and honest person' who was 'well respected' by staff and pupils. He said Franklin was 'thoughtful and compassionate', 'did not like injustice', and was 'outspoken' at staff meetings whenever she felt a child had been wronged. In his legal directions, Judge Kamran Choudhry said: 'The prosecution say the complainant has consistently recounted the substance of his allegations over many years to different people. 'His father, his girlfriend, and medical professionals in 2001. They say those disclosures are broadly the same and he had no reason to make them up.' Referring to the defence case, the judge said it was Franklin's account that nothing happened. Franklin, of Radlett, Hertfordshire, denies eight counts of gross indecency with a boy under 14. The trial continues.