A teacher caught with photographs showing children in wrestling poses has been ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work.
Alan Burns, 59, built up a stash of 2,447 images of children taken for his sexual gratification while he worked at a school in Lanarkshire.
The warped collection was discovered when police went to his home in Stonehouse as a part of a wider probe into a South African website.
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He told officers he liked to watch youngsters perform the fireman's lift which sees a person placed over the shoulder of their carrier.
Burns told police: "I have had this fetish for a number of years and that is the sole reason I have these videos and pictures."
The former deputy head worked in teaching for 30 years but resigned after police raised concerns with South Lanarkshire Council in February 2021.
Burns, now of Nairn, denied any wrongdoing and went on trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court.
He was convicted of committing a breach of the peace by taking and keeping photos of children for his own sexual gratification between 2013 and 2021.
The shamed teacher was also found guilty of breaching the Data Protection Act.
Sheriff Louise Gallacher ordered him to carry out 160 hours unpaid work and put him under supervision for three years.
He will be banned from having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16 and kept on the sex offenders' register for three years.
His trial heard images were found on an iPad and hard drive which had been taken in the school gymnasium with some photoshopped to show a sports field.
Specialist police had examined the photos, which showed youngsters topless and wearing shorts, but none were considered 'indecent' under sexual offences legislation.
Depute fiscal Rebecca Clark said: "This was an extensive course of conduct with a vast number of photos carried out over some years."
Andy Brophy, defending, said: "He has taken steps to remove himself from his employment and from the local area."
Sheriff Gallacher said: "This was a very serious offence committed over seven years and a breach of trust of the children in your care and that of their parents.
"By your own admission you retained and altered these images on several occasions and even created a slideshow to satisfy your fetish for children performing fireman's lifts.
"I have no hesitation in concluding this was done for your sexual gratification and there was an underlying deviance which society is expected to be protected from."
Parents of pupils at his former school were sent letters by the council regarding the sick collection of pictures only after he was convicted.
Speaking outside court, one said: "The fact we were kept in the dark for so long about this is outrageous.
"He was sitting in the dock shaking his head throughout so he clearly doesn't think he's done anything wrong.
"I don't think his punishment is anywhere near enough."
South Lanarkshire Council's head of education, Stewart Nicholson, said earlier: "There is no indication that these school photographs were shared or distributed and there is no indication of any harm to children.
"We have also assured parents and carers that we share the concern about the actions of this individual.
"We always take all necessary precautions when recruiting staff and are rigorous in applying the necessary checks and references.
"We work closely with Police Scotland should concerns arise about any individual and act promptly to apply protective measures should there be any issue with anyone who works with our children."
Burns currently has a 'temporary restriction order' on his registration with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) and will have to face disciplinary proceedings at a later date.
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