A TEACHER who admitted opening the door of a train toilet and taking pictures of women inside has been reprimanded.
Steven Addison – a secondary biology teacher at Auchmuty High School in Glenrothes, Fife – admitted to behaving in a “disorderly manner” on an Edinburgh train last July.
Mr Addison, 39, waived his right to a full hearing in front of the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) by admitting to the offence on December 28 – but he will be allowed to carry on teaching.
The GTCS declaration read: “On 3 July 2015 at a point during a train journey between Waverley and Haymarket Railway Stations, Edinburgh you did whilst acting with another conduct yourself in a disorderly manner and repeatedly open a toilet door when you knew the toilet was occupied and attempt to take a picture or a video of the occupants.”
Mr Addison admitted that in view of the incident his fitness to teach is impaired.
At the time of the incident Mr Addison was also the deputy head of the school – but the offence will be marked against his record for just one year.
Today a woman answered the phone at Mr Addison’s home in Dunfermline, Fife, and identified herself as his wife.
She said: “This is really frustrating though because nothing actually happened.
“Unfortunately he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and happened to be standing outside the toilet when the door opened.
Speaking about the photographs he was alleged to have taken, she added: “There were no photos found.”
Mr Addison and another teacher from the Glenrothes school – Derek Gibson – were arrested by British Transport Police (BTP) over the incident last August.
The arrest came after a public appeal from the BTP – who released images of two men wanted over an alleged “indecent incident.”
At the time it was reported that images of the pair were recognised by pupils viewing them on social media.
It was reported that both men were offered non-court disposals, which deal with the matter without a trial.
Non-court measures can vary from no action at all to fines or compensation orders.
But because they are not issued by the court in public the Crown Office will not reveal what measures were taken.
Speaking at the time of the incident one parent of a child at Auchmuty High School was reported to say: “I can’t believe that two people in their position would be involved in something like this.
“What kind of example does this give to their pupils, seeing pictures of their teachers being released by the police?
“Teachers should know better. What kind of lesson is this sending to our children? It’s very worrying.”
