A former Fife teacher who groomed senior pupils at the school where he worked will be supervised for three years.
“Emotionally immature” Lewis Knott admitted sexual misconduct with two 17-year-old students.
The former English teacher kissed and hugged one of the pupils and had sexual chat during a drink-fuelled video call with another girl.
The 24-year-old was suspended in 2020 following an investigation by Fife Council and has since left teaching.
He has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for three years and was sentenced to three years supervision and 200 hours unpaid work.
The sex offender must also take part in the Moving Forward: Making Changes programme and must not delete any of his internet history or messages.
He must make internet-accessible devices available for inspection upon request.
‘Reprehensible’ crimes
Sheriff James Williamson said “alarm bells should have been ringing” when another teacher called out Knott’s conduct.
He said: “When you look at the position he was in, it’s difficult to avoid the conclusion that a degree of grooming was involved.
“Your behaviour was entirely and utterly reprehensible.
“It’s a matter of such seriousness it does and can attract a custodial sentence.”
However, he said he was willing to give an “opportunity” for a “strict” supervision term and warned: “In the event you breach this order, there will be no second opportunity.”
‘Grooming’ denied
Defending, solicitor advocate Shahid Latif presented the court with a testimonial letter signed by those close to Knott.
He said: “He is genuinely remorseful.
“He’s asked me to apologise to the complainers in open court.
“He can do no more than he has done.
“I don’t seek to minimise what he has done.
“The narrative makes clear that there was sexual conduct. It was fleeting.
“There was an immediate recognition by Mr Knott that his behaviour was unacceptable and he’s apologised.”
Mr Latif said he did not agree with social workers’ description of his client’s conduct as grooming.
“The narrative didn’t use the word grooming at all.
“From my perspective, the initial contact was well-intentioned.”
Rehabilitation hopes
Mr Latif also said his client’s “catastrophic error of judgement” came “against a backdrop of low self esteem and anxiety”.
“He has no previous convictions.
“His age at the time was 22. The differential between the complainers was five years.
“It wasn’t a significant gap between their ages.
“He was also emotionally immature.
“There is no prospect of this behaviour repeating itself. He’s no longer in the profession.
“He’s no longer in a position of trust.
“The author of the report indicates he has embarked on the road to rehabilitation.”
Contact with first victim
In February, Knott, of Findon Lane, Glenrothes, appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court and admitted engaging in sexual activity with, or towards, his first victim on multiple occasions.
He admitted kissing and cuddling her and touching her body over her clothing, while he was in a position of trust.
Knott further pled guilty to communicating indecently with the second girl.
He was in his first full year of teaching when he began abusing his position, the court heard.
The teacher gave his Glow email address – used for teacher-pupil communications – to his first victim but later gave her his mobile number and they began texting.
Warning from fellow teacher
Later, the teenager went to a house party with friends, consumed alcohol and arranged to meet Knott in his car.
They drove around Glenrothes, before Knott then began kissing but the girl “freaked out” after a few seconds, the court heard.
The pair continued to text and met at another party a week later and he took her back to his flat and they kissed again.
Contact lessened thereafter, although he hugged and kissed her once more.
On one occasion, Knott was seen hugging the girl by another teacher and was told not to do it again.
The court heard that on a few occasions, he had put his hand on her leg while she was wearing tights and squeezed her, making her “uncomfortable”.
Reported by second victim’s parent
Knott’s second victim was not a pupil of his but he included her in a Glow conversation about work assigned to another pupil and asked her to provide help.
Knott later contacted the girl and asked her to switch to messaging him on his teacher Instagram page.
He told her “how pretty she was,” commented on her figure and told her she “should be more confident”.
Knott told her about his sexual experiences and asked her intimate questions.
During a video call, they played a drinking game – she pretended the lemonade she was drinking was vodka – and the accused referred to sexual experiences he previously had and said she was “hot” and that he wanted “to taste her”.
This made the girl feel uncomfortable.
Knott texted her the next day to say he was “a bit rough” and told her to delete the messages.
A parent raised her concerns to the school and the matter was investigated and passed to police.
Fife Council
Sharon McKenzie, head of HR at Fife Council, said the authority “can’t discuss individual circumstances of current or former staff members.
“However, we take the safety and wellbeing of those in our care extremely seriously and will always take action against inappropriate or criminal behaviour within our organisation.”
The council confirmed anyone involved in a crime of this nature would be dealt with under its disciplinary procedures.
