Els suspected Klay had been molested

He had suspected early on that Robbie Klay may have been molested at an early age and had "indirectly" taken up the matter with Klay's mother by suggesting that the boy be taken to the psychologist, Jurie Els testified on Thursday.

Els, who met Klay when he offered the young singer a recording contract at the age of 11, told the High Court in Pretoria he had suspected that Klay might have been molested, because the boy had a bed-wetting problem and was very "very interested in things sexual".

Klay also did not hesitate to talk about his favourite film, Basic Instinct, telling Els his sister had given him the film, which has a 21 age restriction, before he started school.

Els insisted that Klay's allegations that he had molested the young singer as a child were "all lies".

He has pleaded not guilty to two charges of indecently assaulting Klay and soliciting him to commit indecent acts when he was a minor.

Els said that although he and the boy had on occasion shared a room while on tour, they had never shared a bed, except on one occasion when Klay wet his bed while they were visiting friends.

For the first time during cross-examination, Els revealed an incident when the then 14-year-old Klay allegedly threatened to tell people that he [Els] touched him [Klay] to get his way.

Els said he was teaching Klay to drive, but when he refused to allow Klay to drive on the freeway, Klay made the threat.

"I was shocked... I was very upset... I confronted him with the seriousness of what he had said, but he said it was just a stupid joke.

"I explained to him that such a joke could land me in jail," he said.

Els testified that he had explained to Klay what molestation meant about a year earlier.

Klay and other artists were recording a song written by Els on the dangers of child molestation and Els spoke about it on a television program.

"I'd informed Robbie Klay in 1999 about child molestation and its dangers. A year later he tried to use it against me to get his way to drive on the N2," he said.

Els highlighted several "personality problems" he picked up early in his relationship with Klay.

His said the youngster was undisciplined, had no underlying sense of right and wrong and lied easily.

He also used situations to his own advantage, did not want to accept authority and was spoilt.

As an educator, he tried to change Klay's behaviour and as a Christian he always gave Klay another chance, even through the young singer broke his trust time after time, he said.

Els could not explain why none of these new revelations were ever put to Klay in cross-examination.

The trial continues. - Sapa