No jail sentence for war veteran who abused school pupils for 10 years

A teacher from a Scottish private school was spared jail yesterday despite carrying out a 10-year campaign of sexual abuse against pupils.

Paisley Sheriff Court

Falklands War veteran Gordon Walker was unmasked as a dangerous sex predator who repeatedly abused six children.

The 51-year-old, who spent 16 years in the British Army still denies abusing the children, while they were aged between 10 and 17, at a £12,000-per-year school, despite having been sacked from his position and being convicted.

Walker abused five girls and a boy by touching them inappropriately, quizzing them on their relationships, and forcing a vaporiser in to the mouth of a male pupil.

The offences took place in one-to-one bagpipe and music lessons and took place in a store cupboard, between 2007 and 2017.

He was spared jail over the decade-long catalogue abuse yesterday because he has never been in prison before. He denied all 19 charges against him and went on trial over the allegations at Paisley Sheriff Court last month.

Walker repeatedly abused the youngsters, who can’t be named for legal reasons, using “lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour” towards them. Walker’s victims took to the witness stand to testify against him, telling the court he targeted them during private lessons.

The jury convicted Walker of 12 of the 19 charges he faced, acquitting him of assaulting a seventh pupil by finding those allegations against him not proven.

Sheriff Tom McCartney was informed that Walker, of Moscow, Ayrshire, was prepared to undertake any community-based sentence imposed on him to avoid going to prison.

He said: “The offences were a serious breach of trust and an abuse of a position of responsibility and power.

“In considering whether to impose a prison sentence, I note you have not previously served a sentence in custody. A custodial sentence can only be imposed if I am satisfied no other sentence would be appropriate. I have decided, not withstanding the gravity of the offences, there is an alternative to prison.”

He placed Walker on Probation and Community Payback Orders, which will see him supervised by social workers for three years, carrying out 300 hours’ unpaid work and banning him from contacting or being with children under the age of 17.

Walker was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for three years and warned he could be caged if he breaches the Orders.