Primary teacher who downloaded child abuse images is spared jail

Colin Chisholm taught at four schools during his career and was a scout leader for nine years, Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard. He was teaching P1 to P3 classes when he was caught with images of children as young as six.

But the 28-year-old, who admitted to police that he was “sexually attracted” to children, managed to avoid a jail sentence yesterday. Instead he was given a three-year community payback order. The former teacher will be on the sex offenders’ register during that period.

Sheriff Isabella McColl said the sentence was more “constructive” than custody. But she added: “I will be notifying Scottish ministers for you to be included in the list of unsuitable persons to work with children.”

Chisholm’s defence agent, Mark Harrower, said: “The position is that he had these three images for eight days. This is at the lower end of the scale and his case should be dealt with by the alternative to custody.”

Mr Harrower said Chisholm had “lost his career”. He said there was “never any suggestion” he acted improperly towards pupils or staff. The defence agent added that Chisholm had secured another job working as a data processor after he resigned from St Cuthberts School. But when the revelation emerged about his crime he lost that job. “The shame for him has been very public. In recent weeks he has lost a number of friends.”

Chisholm appeared at the same court last month, when he admitted to being sexually attracted to children. He also admitted possessing indecent images and three moving pictures of children as young as six on his computer in his Edinburgh flat. The offences took place in spring of this year.