Former teacher jailed for sexually abusing a pupil when she was 15

A former English teacher has been jailed for 12 months after sexually abusing a pupil when she was 15.

Robert Smith, 69, was sentenced at Paisley Sheriff Court last week after being previously found guilty of abusing the teenager 40 years ago.

After the verdict his victim said Smith’s grooming of her had been carefully planned and began on her first day in his class.

Smith worked at a number of schools in the Paisley and Glasgow area and the victim is calling all of the education authorities involved to review their records to see whether there were other concerns or complaints about him.

Jailing Smith, Sheriff Gillian Craig said Smith’s abuse had had a devastating effect on his victim, affecting every aspect of her life. And she told him: “It cannot be overlooked that you were in a position of trust and power as a teacher and this took significant planning on your part.”

Smith began grooming the pupil after she started in his English class in August 1983 at the then Camphill High School in Paisley, which later became Gleniffer High.

The victim was 15 and he was 30 when he began paying her special attention, giving her gifts and writing her love letters.

In October of that year, Smith initiated sexual contact in his car after driving her home from a class trip to the theatre and continued his abusive sexual behaviour for more than a year.

Smith was found guilty of one offence under section 5 of the Sexual Offences Act 1976 – which is an offence of indecent behaviour towards a girl between 12 and 16.

The law has now changed but legislation at the time means evidence of Smith, who was married at the time, of having sex with the girl after she turned 16 was not heard in court.

Smith eventually moved from Gleniffer High and taught in several other schools in the Paisley and Glasgow area before he moved to Woodfarm High School in Thornliebank, East Renfrewshire.

After the hearing, Smith’s victim spoke of her relief that his abuse of trust had been exposed at last.

She said: “For years I felt guilty and ashamed about what happened but the shame is all his, the guilt is all his. I was just a girl and he was a teacher who, from the very first day I arrived in his class, pursued me.

“He flattered me, persuaded me, and, at every stage, was preparing me to go further. It was deliberate, planned, and I find it hard to believe I was the only one.

“Every school where he worked should be reviewing its records to see if complaints or concerns about him were raised at the time. His whole career deserves to be scrutinised.”

Sheriff Craig told Smith that the “verdict will be significant, not just for you, but for your wife, son and father”.

“In light of the seriousness of the crime, a custodial sentence is needed. I sentence you to 12 months in custody. It cannot be overlooked that you were in a position of trust and power as a teacher and this took significant planning on your part. This happened 40 years ago in 1983, you were the victim’s teacher and she was 15.

“What is clear is the effect the abuse had on the victim. During the witness impact statement, she spoke of her shame and embarrassment, it has affected every aspect of her life. She has anxiety and depression and has carried shame with her all through her adult life which she should not have had to do as she is the victim.

“She has carried it for decades and when asked about it, you said she was making it up. Hopefully this will allow her to move on and recover.”

Matt Lynch, defending, said Smith was aware of the “very serious offence that he was convicted of”.

Instead of a custodial sentence, Mr Lynch suggested a community payback order, compensation to the victim or a restriction of liberty order, but regardless of the sentence Smith would “do anything the court said”.

The court heard how GP reports show that Smith is a carer to his wife, who suffers from stage 4 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a serious group of lung conditions that causes breathing difficulty and often requires oxygen to help with her condition.

He also takes care of his father and adult son and undertakes the majority of the household tasks as his wife is unable to.

The court was also told that Smith was a first-time offender.

Smith was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

Rape Crisis Scotland said that it is important for investigations to be conducted over incidents of institutional abuse.

It said: “Many survivors of abuse don’t report what happened to them until many months, years or even decades later, and some survivors never report. It’s important that where incidences of institutional abuse are reported that a full and robust investigation is conducted.

When contacted by The Sunday Post, Renfrewshire Council, which now runs Gleniffer High, said at the time of the offence, Camphill High came under Strathclyde Regional Council.

It said: “This individual was previously employed by Strathclyde Regional Council, but was not an employee of Renfrewshire Council. As such, we have no record of his employment.”

East Renfrewshire Council said that they worked fully with the police during the initial investigation that took place back in 2019.

It said: “It is of deep regret that these offences were carried out by a former teacher prior to him joining our staff.

“We co-operated fully with Police Scotland’s investigation into this matter. This teacher’s employment ended in 2009.

“We have robust child protection procedures in place to safeguard children and young people and if any matters of this nature were brought to our attention they would be fully investigated and dealt with.”

Rape Crisis Scotland’s helpline can be reached on 08088 01 03 02.