Ballet teacher steps down over allegations

ATEACHER at one of Scotland’s most prestigious ballet schools has resigned after an investigation revealed allegations he has been grooming his teenage students for sex.

Jonathan Barton, the former vice-principal of Ballet West Scotland in Argyll, which runs outreach classes in Glasgow, has been accused of abusing his position to sleep with pupils at the £9000-a-year boarding school his family runs in Taynuilt.

An ITV Scotland investigation heard from more than 60 women – former students, staff and parents – who have given us their accounts of the Ballet West teacher’s inappropriate behaviour going back as far as 2004 and as recently as 2018. The allegations include sexual contact with his students.

TWO men were arrested after police were called to a disturbance in Johnstone.

The suspects were reported to police by members of the public after

The board of trustees of the school said it has launched an external, independent inquiry and said the teacher “emphatically denied any wrongdoing”.

Many of the former students told of being groomed for an inappropriate sexual relationship with Mr Barton on the understanding they would remain anonymous, but gave permission to publish their statements.

One of Mr Barton’s former students said: “I was groomed and had a sexual relationship with Jonathan Barton when I was a student.

“I was 16 years old. He abused his position of power.

“He would buy you things like Christmas presents, then there were little inside jokes. He also had easy access to come in and out of my room whenever he wanted. You can’t get away from him.

“He’s very charming and he is powerful.”

She felt there was nowhere for her to complain to at the an incident in Floors Street at 6.20am on Tuesday.

Police said a 30-year-old man was charged in connection with a serious assault, while a 44-year-old school. “His Mum was also the principal,” she says. “So going to the mother of the predator, at 16 years old – that’s scary, it’s not right.”

Jonathan Barton, 38, started teaching at Ballet West in 2002. He is the son of the school’s principal and founder, Gillian Barton.

A spokesperson for Barton said he strongly the allegations.

They said: “Given his respect for the school and concern to ensure that the school maintains the confidence of students, parents and the public, he has – with a heavy heart – chosen to tender his resignation.”

Ballet West is Scotland’s biggest ballet school – it won “Best British Ballet School” at the British Ballet Grand Prix awards this year.

ITV News said it had emerged that in 2018 Mr Barton received a written warning following a complaint of sexually inappropriate behaviour with a student.

Mr denies man was taken into custody for separate offences.

Officers also confirmed that a man was taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, in Paisley, with facial injuries.