A SCOTS R.E. teacher has been struck off after his claims that he tried to meet a 14-year-old girl to uncover a child sex operation were deemed “simply unbelievable”.
Iain Parkinson was struck off today after the GTCS hearing panel found him unfit to teach for attempting to meet a 14-year-old for sexual activity at a Travelodge in Falkirk.
Mr Parkinson claimed that he was trying to catch a couple in a sting operation – however his claims were deemed “simply unbelievable” by Andrew Long, Presiding Officer for the GTCS.
Speaking today , Arthur Stewart, Convener for the GTCS panel said: “The panel’s decision is we find Mr Parkinson unfit to teach.
“As the teacher has been found unfit to teach his name will be removed from the teaching register.
“I thank all parties involved, it has been a long week.”
The 56-year-old had engaged in a conversation on website Fab Swingers with a woman known as Lisa Brown and her partner Kev.
Unbeknownst to Mr Parkinson, Lisa and Kev were actually two undercover police officers.
He claims that he “joined in with unpleasant” talks about an underage girl as wanted to find out if there were “really people doing these horrible things”.
Mr Parkinson, who lives in Corstorphine, Edinburgh, said he did not report the messages to police as he “didn’t want to break cover”.
The former Kirkcaldy High School teacher was arrested at a Travelodge in Falkirk in May 2016 after he turned up for a “threesome” with condoms.
However, the charges were dropped against him in 2017 after a judge found him to be a victim of police entrapment.
Speaking to the panel yesterday Andrew Long, the Presiding Officer for the GTCS said: “It simply doesn’t make sense as a story.
“He made references to sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl and beastilitiy with a dog.
“He then attended the travel lodge in Falkirk to have sex with a 14-year-old girl.
Long continued: “He clearly and graphically explained what he wanted to do to the 14-year-old.
“Mr Parkinson’s version of events is simply unbelievable, it does not make sense.
“Mr Parkinson is telling a story about conducting a sting operation to protect a child but there is simply no evidence for this whatsoever.
“He goes off on some frolic of his own as if he is some sort of vigilante.
“Mr Parkinson had the opportunity to stop.
“Instead he told the person on the chat he wanted to stick his c* into their daughters a*.
“It simply doesn’t make sense.
“Mr Parkinson has shown himself to be perfectly incapable of honesty. He is an adulterous man who exchanges in sex with people online.”
Darren Wapplington, NASUWT teachers union representative, who represented Mr Parkinson in response said: “He has consistently set out an honest history of events.
“There is no history of previous concerns in his long and distinguished career.
“Mr Parkinson’s intention was not to engage in sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl.”
Despite this, the panel found him to be unable to continue to teach and struck him off the teaching register.
