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