Perv former PE teacher’s jailed

A perverted retired PE teacher has been locked up for 18 months for sexually assaulting three girls.

But Hamilton Sheriff Court heard yesterday that shamed Bruce Rankin had been “praying” for his young victims.

The 58-year-old, from Strathaven, assaulted the girls between December 1, 2010 and June 29, 2014.

Sheriff Shiona Waldron told a shocked Rankin there was no alternative to custody given the gravity of the offences – despite his pleas of remorse.

She said: “These are very serious offences and this type of offending must attract nothing other than a custodial sentence – especially given you were in a position of trust.”

Defence lawyer Marco Gaurino told the court Rankin was a religious man who had “prayed” for his victims and “accepted full responsibility for his actions”.

One of his victims was assaulted at the North Lanarkshire school where Rankin taught before his retirement in 2014. He admitted placing his hand on her bare thigh and moved her leg apart making a sexual remark as he did so.

The court previously heard Rankin received a written warning from his former school in 2012 following complaints from another pupil over inappropriate touching and comments.

Rankin also touched his other two victims on an intimate area over their clothing in Glasgow and elsewhere.

Mr Guarino went on to say: “Nothing I say should play down the gravity of these offences.

“My client is fully aware of the effect of his conduct on his victims and he continues to pray for them.

“He also attends a church in Glasgow to seek, not only comfort and solace, but rehabilitation.

“He voluntarily took steps to ensure he doesn’t have access to vulnerable groups and, as a former teacher, renounced his Protecting Vulnerable Groups certification.

“He has been ostracised from his community having been a person of significant standing given his former profession and involvement with extracurricular activities which he has withdrawn from.

“He and his family will undoubtedly have to move away from the area where they have lived for 20 years.”

Mr Gaurino added: “They were very much low-level offences, they were fleeting and opportunistic and he has been deemed to be at a low level of reoffending and I believe there is a viable alternative to custody.”

However, along with the jail term, Sheriff Waldron also placed Rankin on the sex offenders register.

My client is fully aware of the effect of his conduct on his victims and he continues to pray for them