Ex-teacher put on sex offenders list for assaulting 3 pupils

EX-TEACHER PUT ON SEX OFFENDERS LIST FOR ASSAULTING 3 PUPILS

A FORMER Gourock High teacher has been found guilty of assaulting three of his pupils.

Sheriff Swanney accepted the evidence of the victims, two of whom were visibly upset.

Cassidy, aged 47 of The Lane, Skelmorlie, was convicted at the sheriff court on Friday and has been added to the Sex Offenders Register for five years.

The incidents occurred between 1991 and 1993 when Cassidy was a chemistry teacher at the school.

He previously accepted the allegations, received a final warning, and then moved to Greenwood Academy in Irvine.

During police investigations in 2005, officers approached three former pupils, none of whom had reported the incidents earlier.

Cassidy later worked at Park Mains High in Erskine and Trinity High in Renfrew, where he became depute head.

The sheriff highlighted Cassidy's abuse of power and accused him of acting arrogantly.

Cassidy was found guilty of multiple sexual assaults, including seizing a girl by the body, detaining her against her will, kissing her on the mouth, and fondling her clothed thigh and breast.

He was also convicted of stroking another girl's hair and placing his hand inside a third girl's shirt pocket to fondle her breast.

Sheriff Swanney stated: "Mr Cassidy clearly loves his job.

That doesn’t mean he has shielded himself from his culpability.

I believe he has convinced himself over time these incidents did not happen.

He accepted culpability at the time.

This has given me no pleasure." She added there was a "substantial sexual element" to the charges and placed Cassidy on the Sex Offenders Register for five years.

He will be sentenced next month after reports are prepared.