A FORMER education official who downloaded thousands of images of child porn was today banned from the classroom – at his own request.
Joseph McCabe admitted collecting the sickening hoard of 13,358 pictures while living at his family home in Perth.
The 53-year-old was also found guilty of downloading 33 indecent videos of children between March 2008 and April 2010.
At a conviction hearing at the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) inEdinburgh today, a disciplinary committee ruled that McCabe should be banned from teaching.
McCabe, who was registered as a secondary school teacher of history and computer science, had worked as an education officer forPerthand Kinross Council.
He had moved to a new job as an IT consultant with the Metropolitan Police when he was arrested in April last year.
Some of the pictures showed horrific scenes of sado-masochistic abuse against children.
Perth Sheriff Courtheard that 200 of the images were of the worst category.
Sheriff Michael Fletcher noted there were some, including videos, at level four and five on the scale for measuring severity — the highest possible.
McCabe’s solicitor John Boyle told the court: “Mr McCabe found himself on a downward spiral. What had started as an interest in adult pornography quickly descended to these offences.
“He would download them en masse. It would take a significant period of time and then he would later download these images at his leisure.”
Police immediately sacked the father-of-two.
It was reported that his wife, Catherine, left him once the allegations came to light and the family home in Bridge of Earn was put up for sale.
McCabe did not appear at today’s hearing and was not represented.
Presenting solicitor for the GTCS, Emma Gilipin, said McCabe had asked for the hearing to be “dealt with as soon as possible” and requested that his name be removed from the register.
She added that she too was “seeking to have him removed from the register” in light of the “serious matter.”
In her submission, the lawyer said that the “aim of the law is to protect” and that McCabe “should be removed” for what he did.
She added that the Crown convicted him of having indecent images of children and that McCabe was sentenced 14 months of imprisonment for his crime last year.
He was also placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.
She added: “In light of the serious nature of this crime, I would advise the committee to remove him.”
The Committee agreed that McCabe should be banned from applying for restoration to the register for 12 months.
They added that it was the “only appropriate sanction” for the former teacher, adding: “The offence involved a serious departure from standards expected of a registered teacher and any other disposal would undermine public trust and confidence in the profession.”
They also decided that McCabe’s name should be referred to the Scottish Ministers for consideration of barring him from working with children.
McCabe was commuting toLondonevery week fromBridgeofEarn to stay at hisVictoriaflat inLondon and work in the Met’s HR offices.
Mr McCabe was also a former employee of the prison service inEngland .
