Inverness pupils ‘shown porn on school computer’

It is understood that a group of second year pupils had been shown the graphic pornography. Picture (posed by models): TSPL

Parents at the historic Inverness Royal Academy complained to the school and contacted Police Scotland.

One of them said: “I could maybe understand if it was a naked model coming up on the screen in an art class,” she said, “but this was a man and woman. It was very graphic. It was pornography which flashed up on the main classroom computer. How on earth could this happen?”

Highland Council confirmed that second year pupils at the school had been shown “material of an inappropriate nature”.

They said it was “a genuine mistake” but failed to explain how it had happened.

Some of the 12 and 13-year-olds were upset by what they saw in a class at Inverness Royal Academy and reported the incident when they got home.

Angry parents immediately lodged complaints with the academy’s acting rector, Robin Fyfe, who launched an internal investigation. Police Scotland were also notified.

Now, an outraged local councillor has called for heads to roll at the Academy, which was established in 1792, but has a history dating back to the 13th century.

One horrified parent asked how such a thing could occur in a supposedly “safe” school environment.

It is understood a teacher had been using a laptop at the time of the incident when the porn images appeared.

Our whistleblower claimed: “Later, technicians were called in and took the computer away but it did not reveal anything in the back-up, but that’s not the only way to view things. It could have been on a DVD or flash-drive.”

Repeated efforts were made to contact Mr Fyfe, but he was said to be busy and unavailable, and inquiries were referred to Highland Council’s public relations department.

Initially, it issued a brief statement which said: “The school received a complaint from parents on Tuesday, August 25, in relation to an incident in school.

“An internal investigation was undertaken, the findings of which showed that there was nothing other than a genuine mistake made. Police Scotland is satisfied with the outcome of the internal investigation.

“Parents have been advised by the school of the outcome of the investigation.”

But when pressed about the incident, a spokeswoman confirmed pornographic images had been viewed by pupils in a class.

A short time later, the council issued another statement saying: “Material of an inappropriate nature was briefly displayed in class. A thorough internal investigation was carried out which showed there was nothing other than a genuine mistake made.

“The school has taken steps to ensure that this does not happen again.”

But the council would not reveal what these steps are, or what sort of mistake could have been made to allow pornography to be viewed in a classroom environment.

The incident has stunned Inverness Ness-side Highland councillor Norrie Donald in whose ward the academy sits.

“I am absolutely shocked,” he said. “Somebody must have put this on a computer. These things just do not pop up of their own accord. Somebody must have put it there.

“I hope the police are very active in checking this out.”

Councillor Donald added: “These are young children and this is absolutely, simply, shocking. I am surprised that we as councillors have not been informed of this. We should be informed and kept up to date about this sort of thing.”

And, he fumed: “The person who said it was a mistake should be sacked – out the door – this was not a mistake.”

Fellow Ness-side councillor Fraser Parr admitted he, too, had not heard about the incident.

He said: “This is complete news to me. I wonder if any of the other councillors have heard anything about it?

“Without factual knowledge of what actually happened I can’t really say much, but I would be really shocked if this sort of thing has happened in one of the classrooms.”

Highland Council’s recently appointed education chairman Drew Millar said he had been informed of the situation by education director Bill Alexander.

“I view this very seriously,” he said. “By the time I heard about it, an investigation had been carried out and a letter of explanation sent to all the parents.”