Two Edmonton women yesterday told a jury they were inappropriately touched by taekwondo instructor Thomas Innerebner during group lessons at city schools.

The pair, who cannot be identified under a court-ordered publication ban, were the first of nine alleged sexual abuse victims slated to testify at Innerebner's Court of Queen's Bench trial.

The remaining seven are children.

Both women, aged 25 and 24, told court they did not report the alleged inappropriate touching when it happened, but came forward after hearing about other similar allegations reported in the newspaper.

One of the women began crying as she was asked about the newspaper article.

"At that point, unfortunately, I realized maybe I wasn't the only one," she said, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. "I guess I thought it was time I told somebody."

The woman said she took the lessons when she was in Grade 7 and Grade 8, but stopped because she began to feel "uncomfortable with the way he was touching me."

The woman told the jury Innerebner touched her on her breasts and in the crotch area during demonstrations.

The other woman testified she was 21 when Innerebner provided her lessons at Elmwood elementary school, and she accused him of touching her breasts and buttocks while supposedly helping her doing stretching exercises.

She testified she was initially unsure, but after the second incident, she told her mother that she was quitting.

"He gave me the willies up and down -- the shivers," said the woman, adding she told her mother at the time "he's weird and I'm not going back."

The woman also told jurors that Innerebner had told her she was "very pretty" and had asked her to go to his home to play musical instruments and sing.

Under cross-examination, the woman agreed the alleged sexual touching happened right in front of other nearby students in a class with approximately 20 students.

Innerebner, 52, pleaded not guilty yesterday to nine counts of sexual assault and eight counts of sexual contact with a child under 14.

In an opening statement to the eight-man, four-woman jury, Crown prosecutor Dave Hill said there will be 20 witnesses, including seven alleged child victims.

Hill told jurors all but one of the alleged sex attacks took place in class with the exception happening at Innerebner's home and said the case "boils down to credibility."

Defence lawyer Brian Beresh also made an opening statement and told the jury they will hear testimony from Innerebner, whom he described as a former realtor, a father of two, a semi-professional musician and a taekwondo instructor since 1994.

"The defence position is Mr. Innerebner never sexually assaulted anyone," said Beresh, adding his client was "shocked" to learn of the allegations.

The trial is scheduled for two weeks.

TONY.BLAIS@SUNMEDIA.CA