Biology teacher struck off over sexual relationship with ex-pupil who he blackmailed with explicate pictures

A biology teacher has been struck off after threatening to send intimate images to others of an ex-pupil with whom he was in a two-year sexual relationship.

Callum Scott was employed as a biology teacher at a secondary school in Dumfries and Galloway when the relationship began in October 2017.

The General Teaching Council of Scotland (GTCS) held a hearing into Scott’s conduct, and have now released their report.

Allegations were made that between October 2017 and January 2020, Scott engaged in a sexual relationship with Pupil A.

During that time he gifted her a Pandora ring and booked an overnight hotel stay for them.

However, during their relationship, Scott threatened to distribute private and explicit images that Pupil A had sent him.

He was also alleged to have acted in a controlling manner towards Pupil A by telling her to keep their relationship a secret, that she couldn’t have a boyfriend and to leave her Snapchat location on at all times.

Between 2017 and 2020, Scott was also found to have interacted with other pupils on a personal level via social media.

In addition, Scott also made sexual comments via social media to a second pupil, where he told her, “Ffs, I’d be all over you if I was drunk”.

Scott was caught after teachers were shown messages from him to Pupil B.

When questioned by his line manager, Scott claimed the discussion triggered memories of childhood trauma.

He later took time off work in autumn 2020, during which time a second allegation arose when Pupil A contacted the school.

The GTCS heard from the teacher who took the call, Witness 2, who was very concerned when Pupil A, a former student, disclosed to her that she had been in a sexual relationship with Scott.

This was then escalated into a formal investigation with several former pupils being interviewed about Scott’s behaviour.

Pupil A also gave evidence to the GTCS explaining that during her sixth year and after turning 18, she added Scott on Snapchat.

After messaging each other, the pair agreed to meet and eventually after a few meetings, the relationship became sexual. It is noted that by that time Pupil A had left the school.

The relationship continued for the next two years until January 2020, when Scott became angry and manipulative after Pupil A spoke to other boys.

Scott was accused of blackmailing Pupil A and threatening to send her new boyfriend indecent images of her he had saved.

She eventually told her uncle and brother in February 2020 and her uncle told Scott to leave his niece alone.

After that, she blocked Scott’s number and blocked him on Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram.

Pupil A then heard that Scott had acted similarly towards others and that is when she decided to report the matter to the school.

She told the GTCS that the experience caused her significant emotional harm, including trauma from the Scott’s manipulation, blackmail, deceit, and mind games.

She felt taken advantage of as someone who was only just an adult and inexperienced in relationships, and believed Scott’s behaviour was incompatible with being a teacher.

Based on the evidence presented to the GTCS, they found the allegations to be proven and struck Scott from the teaching register. He cannot reapply for two years.