dodgy teach 2

9 March 2006
EXCLUSIVE: SIR IS AXED OVER GIRL,17
By Lori Campbell

A TEACHER at a top private school has been accused of kissing and touching a 17-year-old girl pupil in a midnight romp on a beach.

Michael Casey, 44, could now be prosecuted for committing a sexual act while in a position of trust.

Casey was a teacher at posh George Watson's College in Edinburgh when he allegedly met the senior pupil at a secluded beauty spot. The schoolgirl told another teacher about the alleged encounter.

Casey was suspended. The school's head teacher alerted cops and Casey, a former police sergeant, was arrested and charged.

Prosecutors are now deciding whether he should face court.

A source at George Watson's said yesterday: "Mr Casey was a highly regarded teacher. But if these allegations are proved, he will have lost all the trust and respect people had in him.

"If it's true, it's unbelievable that he would abuse his position to meet up with a pupil at night."

Casey is said to have met the girl at Gullane Bents in East Lothian in 2004.

Our school source said the pupil later confided in one of Casey's colleagues. The insider added: "The teacher she told confronted Mr Casey and threatened to tell the head teacher unless Mr Casey did so himself."

Casey quit his job as a modern studies teacher after police charged him.

His wife Lesley, 43, had already dumped him when the claims came to light.

A friend said: "They split for other personal reasons."

But the source added: "Lesley was devastated and angry when she heard about the girl's claims.

"She is filing for divorce."

Casey moved out of the home he shared with Lesley in Cramond, Edinburgh, and went to stay with a pal.

But he was kicked out after his host found out about the police charges.

Casey is now renting a one-bedroom flat in Comely Bank, Edinburgh and working as a taxi driver.

He told our reporter: "You haven't got the right Casey. My first name isn't Michael. I do sometimes get post for a Michael Casey living down the road though, so that could be your man.

"I was never a teacher at George Watson's and don't know anything about meetings with a pupil."

Former pupils at £7800-a-year George Watson's include rugby stars Gavin and Scott Hastings and politicians David Steel and Malcolm Rifkind.

Head teacher Gareth Edwards confirmed: "A former member of staff resigned in January 2006.

"The school received information which was reported to the police. I cannot comment further as there is an ongoing police investigation."

Dodgy Teacher

Thu 9 Mar 2006

Ex-teacher charged with sexual encounter with pupil

ANDREW PICKEN

A FORMER teacher at a top private school has been charged in connection with an alleged sexual encounter with a 17-year-old female pupil.

Michael Casey was a history and modern studies teacher at George Watson's College when he allegedly met the senior pupil at Gullane Bents in East Lothian in 2004.

The schoolgirl is reported to have told another teacher about the alleged incident with the 44-year-old Mr Casey, who is understood to be a former police sergeant, resigned from the school in January this year. Mr Casey was then reported to the police.

A police spokesman confirmed a 44-year-old man has been charged in connection with the incident and a report has been sent to the procurator fiscal.

Prosecutors are reportedly considering charges against Mr Casey of committing a sexual act while in a position of trust.

When the allegations came to light, Mr Casey is understood to have moved out of the Cramond home he shared with his wife Lesley. He is now believed to be living in Comely Bank and working as a taxi driver.

Gareth Edwards, head teacher at the £7800-a-year school, said: "Mr Casey resigned in January but had been suspended since early November. As soon as the school received information relating to the allegations he was suspended and the matter was reported to the relevant authorities. Mr Casey resigned before our own internal investigation had reached its conclusion."

It is the latest claims of a sex scandal to have rocked the city's schools. Last April, a biology teacher arrested over claims he had sex with an underage pupil was struck off. Anthony Ablett, who taught at the city's Trinity Academy, was barred from working in Scotland again after being found guilty of misconduct by the General Teaching Council.

The 56-year-old was taken to court in 2003 after a 15-year-old girl alleged he had been involved in "acts of indecency" with her.

He was immediately suspended from his job as head of biology when police charged him.

The case was dropped because of insufficient evidence, but the GTC Scotland decided to strike Ablett from the Scottish teaching register.

And in March 2004, sex charges against a former teacher at a Musselburgh public school were dropped. Guy Anthony Ray-Hills, 79, was charged with sexual offences against two boys, then aged 11 and 15, which allegedly took place 40 years ago when he taught at Loretto School.

The case was to be heard in the summer of 2003, but was dropped because of Mr Ray-Hills' ill-health. The Crown Office confirmed at the time that the case would not be "re-raised". It was understood at the time that this was because Mr Ray-Hills would never have been well enough to stand trial.

This article: http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=357832006

Last updated: 09-Mar-06 14:34 GMT