A Lanarkshire teacher who was convicted of buying a stun gun has avoided being struck off.
Henry Kilgour, a physics teacher at Lanark Grammar, purchased the toy stun gun to amuse his colleagues, even intending to bring the item into the school.
But when it was delivered he was disappointed in the quality and decided to try and purchase a more ‘realistic’ stun gun from an online retailer.
He was contacted by UK Border Force officials in February 2019 who advised him they had intercepted the second purchased item and told him to destroy his initial purchase of a ‘toy’ stun gun.
Kilgour was contacted by Police Scotland, subsequently charged and reported to the procurator fiscal.
The 57-year-old, from Wishaw, has had a reprimand on his registration imposed for the next 12 months by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) who found his fitness to teach impaired.
He appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court in July of 2021 but his sentence was deferred for nine-months for him to be of good behaviour.
In January 2021, a sheriff admonished Kilgour but noted his actions were “foolish”.
Kilgour insisted he believed he was buying a toy stun gun with the sole purpose of amusing his colleagues, and not to use it on pupils or cause harm.
But the GTCS found his fitness to be impaired and noted the public interest in his conviction as he was viewed as a role model by pupils and the purchase of the stun gun could promote fear in others.
Due to his suspension, Kilgour also let down his pupils by interrupting their education.
Kilgour told the GTCS that he not only regretted his conduct but that he was disgusted by it.
He has also been handed a final written warning from bosses at South Lanarkshire Council and now has a criminal conviction on record.
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