A shamed Fife teacher struck off over an affair with a pupil was arrested by police – but charges were dropped before the case got to court, The Courier can reveal.
David Bryant had a near two-year sexual relationship with the teenager while he was Levenmouth Academy’s principal teacher of chemistry.
He used a cheap burner phone to set up liaisons with the girl, who was just 17 when the affair began in 2017.
The 55-year-old’s behaviour was described as “reprehensible” by a General Teaching Council (GTC) for Scotland panel, who last week removed him from the teaching register.
It has now been revealed Bryant was arrested and charged by officers four months after the allegations emerged in June 2019.
However, the procurator fiscal decided not to take any action.
The Crown Office said it had reserved the right to prosecute the case in future if any other evidence came to light.
Affair reported to former teacher
A GTC Scotland hearing heard Bryant and the girl kissed, touched each other sexually and engaged in oral sex in the school while she was a 17-year-old pupil.
And they had sex in a Glenrothes Travelodge and in a car at various locations once she turned 18.
The affair came to light in June 2019, a year after the girl, known as Pupil A, left school.
She told the hearing she had asked Bryant to choose between her and his wife and he chose his wife.
She then reported the alleged behaviour to a former teacher.
The former teacher had not worked at Levenmouth Academy since he was escorted from the building by then headteacher Ronnie Ross while the claims were investigated.
And he did not attend last week’s hearing, which found the allegations against him proven.
General Teaching Council for Scotland solicitor Lauren Doherty described his actions as being “at the top end of the spectrum of seriousness”.
And she said the risk of him repeating the behaviour was high.
Police confirm Fife teacher was arrested
Police have now confirmed they arrested Bryant in connection with the allegations.
A spokesperson said: “In October 2019, officers arrested and charged a 51-year-old man and he was reported to the procurator fiscal.”
Meanwhile, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service added: “In October 2019 the procurator fiscal received a report relating to a 51-year-old male and incidents said to have occurred between November 2017 and June 2018.
“After careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case, including the available admissible evidence, the procurator fiscal decided no proceedings should be taken at that time.
“There is, however, an obligation on the prosecutor to keep cases under review and the Crown reserves the right to prosecute this case in the future should further evidence become available.”
