Former martial arts instructor Thomas Innerebner leaves an Edmonton courthouse, Nov. 30, 2009, after the first day of his 10-day trial. Innerebner is charged with sexually assaulting students. (Sun Media/Ken Armstrong, file)

EDMONTON -- "Absolutely not."

Those were the words that taekwondo instructor Tom Innerebner emphatically stated yesterday when asked about the multiple allegations of sexual assault and inappropriate touching he is facing regarding students.

Testifying in his own defence before a jury at his Court of Queen's Bench trial, Innerebner denied that he had had a physical or sexual attraction towards any of the nine alleged victims, consisting of two women and seven girls.

Innerebner, 52, also denied touching any of the students for a sexual purpose or sexually assaulting them in any fashion as defence lawyer Brian Beresh went individually through each of the complainants.

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

He told the jury he was in "shock -- complete shock" when a newspaper story was published detailing the criminal charges against him in 2007 and said he had met with police and agreed to take a polygraph test.

The father of two also testified he has taught taekwondo to at least 1,000 students and said he had never had a sexual-assault complaint against him before this.

During his lengthy testimony, the jury was shown a DVD about taekwondo and Innerebner even modelled his instructor's jacket and showed how the belt is tied.

Under cross-examination, Innerebner appeared a little shaken up when Crown prosecutor Dave Hill grilled him about his claim that he had received an endorsement from the Sexual Assault Centre for a brochure after giving some of the group's volunteers a demonstration.

The jury has already heard from the alleged victims.

Two women, now aged 25 and 24, testified they were inappropriately touched by Innerebner during group lessons and said they came forward after the newspaper article.

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

"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."

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

The other woman testified Innerebner touched her breasts and buttocks during stretching exercises.

"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."

None of the victims can be identified under a court-ordered publication ban.

Six of the seven girls testified Innerebner had put his hands under their clothing and either briefly touched their breast area or under their panties while one said he had actually penetrated her vagina with his finger while she was at his house doing chores for him.

Cross-examination is slated to continue this morning.

TONY.BLAIS@SUNMEDIA.CA