Art Sir dropped pencils to leer up schoolgirls’ skirts

AN art teacher who regularly dropped his pencil in class in order to look up girls’ skirts has been found guilty of a string of sex attacks.

After a three- day trial, Smith, of Dundee, was found guilty of indecent assault, sexual assault and breach of the peace over an 11- year period between 2008 and 2019.

During the trial, three of the schoolgirls said that “creepy” Smith would repeatedly drop his pencil and crawl under their tables on his hands and knees, staring at their legs.

One pupil, now 15, said she felt “really violated” when he touched her upper thigh with his palm on two occasions last year.

She broke down in tears as she gave evidence. Another girl, also aged 15, said she was “really weirded out” after seeing Smith drop his pencil several times in front of her desk and those of her classmates’ then crawling underneath to pick it up.

He bombarded one pupil with gifts and attention throughout her sixth year, causing her to eventually drop out of his class to avoid him.

On her last day at the 1,200pupil school, while she was still 17, he followed her into the street and gave her a “quite sexual” kiss. When she returned to hand in work for her final exams, he kissed her again and groped her in an empty classroom.

At the Dundee court Sheriff John Rafferty deferred sentence until November 7 for reports and ordered Smith’s name be placed on the sex offenders’ register.

He told Smith: “I found the Crown witnesses to be credible and reliable, in the main exceedingly impressive witnesses, and in some instances courageous witnesses.

“The case compelling.”

Smith showed no emotion at the verdict. The court heard he had been suspended from the school for nine months and would lose his job. against you is