PERVERT SIR IS CAGED FOR PUPIL ABUSE
Twisted paedophile won his victims’ trust as ‘cool’ new member of staff
A former primary school teacher has been jailed for two-and-a-half years after being convicted of historic sexual offences against six pupils.
Stephen Tait, 41, carried out a campaign of lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour towards six boys who were aged between eight and nine.
He touched his victims sexually and forced some to remove their clothes.
Tait had been employed as a probationary teacher more than a decade ago at a primary school in Lerwick, Shetland.
All the victims, now men, gave evidence either in person, via a pre-recorded video or remotely.
The jury at Peterhead Sheriff Court in February found Tait guilty of all six charges.
Prosecutor Ruaridh McAllister said: “He sexually abused these boys. It took place when they were aged eight and nine and they did not fully feel the magnitude of what had taken place until later when they were adults. Stephen Tait wants you to think they were all lying to you but the only person lying in this court is Stephen Tait.
“Tait gained their trust and friendship by being the cool, fun new teacher – but a far more sinister picture emerged.” On sentencing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court Sheriff Ian Wallace said Tait had “caused harm to the teaching profession”.
He added: “This was ongoing, planned behaviour of sexual offending against children – children in your care.”
The court heard of Tait’s previous convictions in which he was found guilty in 2012 of sexually assaulting a boy, and in 2013 of possessing indecent images of children. He was not jailed then and the Shetland offences pre-dated them.
Sheriff Wallace sentenced Tait, of Lytham St Annes, near Blackpool, to 30 months in prison and put him on the sex offenders register for life.
the only person lying is stephen tait RUARIDH MCALLISTER PROSECUTOR SUMS UP