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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Darren McConachie

Midlothian guidance teacher accused of making 'provocative movements' to colleagues

A Midlothian guidance teacher faces being struck off after allegedly placing a prosthetic penis down his trousers and making provocative movements towards colleagues.

Derek Turkington, who taught at Newbattle Community High School in Dalkeith, Midlothian, is accused of making lewd gestures between August 2017 and May 2018.

Mr Turkington allegedly used the artificial item to make suggestive movements towards other staff members at the school.

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It is also claimed in the presence of his colleagues he placed his finger through his zipper to mimic male genitalia.

Mr Turkington, originally from Glasgow, is also alleged to have shouted at a pupil in January 2018 in front of another colleague.

He allegedly said: “Colleague A, can you please tell him that his dad clearly doesn’t care about him and that he needs to move on and get a grip.”

The teacher, who also taught Personal and Social Education at the school, allegedly caused distress to pupils by nailing a piece of wood over a school door.

He now faces being removed from the teaching register by The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) following a three day hearing this week.

The charges state: "Between in or around August 2017 and in or around May 2018, the teacher did whilst employed as a teacher by Midlothian Council at Newbattle Community High School, and during the course of his employment behave in an inappropriate manner towards other members of staff in that he did:

"On at least one occasion place a prosthetic penis down his trousers and through the zip and [made] suggestive and provocative movements towards other colleagues.

"[You did] place his finger, or fingers, through the zip of his trousers in an attempt to mimic male genitalia.

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"In or around January 2018, on at least one occasion scream at Pupil A [and] state in the presence of Pupil A 'Colleague A, can you please tell him that his dad clearly doesn’t care about him and that he needs to move on and get a grip' or words to that effect.

"In or around 2017, nail a piece of wood over a school door resulting in distress to pupils’ present.

"And in light of the above it is alleged that the teacher’s fitness to teach is impaired."

The hearing continues.

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