Teacher who kept indecent images of children avoids jail

Man lost job at primary school and was thrown out of home by his wife

A disgraced Tayside primary school teacher caught with images of nearly-naked young girls on his home computer has avoided being jailed.

Stuart Grant was instead placed on probation for six months and will have his name added to the sex offenders register for the same length of time.

Grant was a teacher at St Francis RC Primary School in Dundee – previously known as St Luke’s and St Matthew’s – but parents of youngsters there only learned of the reason behind his dismissal last May following his guilty plea to two charges relating to the possession of indecent material almost a decade ago.

He initially faced petition proceedings in relation to the matter, before admitting a summary complaint to charges of taking or making indecent images of children between September 11 2008 and June 4 2012 at an address on Kirkcroft Brae, Liff.

Grant, of Almond Place, Dundee, further admitted possessing indecent images of children at the same address on November 30 2011.

Forfar Sheriff Court previously heard police executed a warrant at his home on May 19 last year and a computer tower and iPhone were seized.

When examined, investigating officers found three inaccessible images at ‘category C’ level of girls aged between five and eight in underwear, in indecent poses. A further image was uncovered on the back-up of Grant’s user profile.

Grant’s solicitor, Laura Hogg, said the accused had lost his job and been thrown out of the marital home as a result.

Sheriff Gregor Murray said there were “unusual factors which significantly affect the sentence” including the offence’s historical nature, the low number of images and significant changes in Grant’s life.

Conditions of Grant’s probation include a requirement for him to liaise with officers from the police offender management unit and allowing police or supervising social work officers inspection of any devices capable of accessing the internet.

Following Grant’s guilty plea, St Francis head teacher Neil Lowden moved to reassure parents that children from the school were not involved in the images Grant had been caught with.

“There are unusual factors which significantly affect the sentence.

SHERIFF MURRAY

Stuart Grant hides from the camera as he arrives at court over possession of indecent images.