Ex-headteacher accused of child sex offences appears in court

A FORMER city headteacher has appeared in court accused of a string of sex offences.

Former headteacher Neal McGowan. Picture: Stian Alexander

Neal McGowan, 53, who led Gracemount High School from 1997 until 2002, will face five charges – which are not connected to his time working in Edinburgh.

He appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on Wednesday and was granted conditional bail to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on June 21. He made no plea.

McGowan, from Dickonsfield in Leith, also taught at schools in Oxfordshire, London and Bejing before becoming headteacher at William de Ferrers School in Essex in 2013.

The court was told he is currently lecturing on education at universities and colleges across the country.

He is accused of abusing his position of trust by causing or inciting sexual activity with a boy aged 13 to 17 and causing the same boy to watch a sexual act.

Since being arrested in March, he has also been charged with three counts of making indecent images of a child.