Locations
Dolphin Road, Edinburgh, EH14
Description
A former maths teacher has been spared jail over sexual abuse he committed on a pupil more than 40 years ago, due to his age and infirmity.
Michael McCue indecently assaulted a number of students at the former Page Moss School, later Bowring Community Sports College in Huyton, Liverpool, over the course of several decades. Fresh allegations surfaced last year after another victim came forward.
The now 91-year-old has been put behind bars on several occasions previously as a result of his crimes - but he was spared the same fate this time, the Liverpool Echo reported.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Monday (March 24) that McCue "abused his clear position of trust" a the school, which closed in 2009 after merging with Knowsley Hey High School to form the Lord Derby Academy, in order to sexually assault the then teenage boy in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
This included him touching and stroking the complainant's legs before putting his hands into his pockets and waistband and touching his penis while commenting "you like that" and "you know what I want".
David Polglase, prosecuting, outlined how the defendant, of Dolphin Road in Currie, near Edinburgh, would also take hold of the pupil's hand and place it onto his own penis.
McCue was initially said to have "befriended" his student by speaking of his "adventures to the mountains, Scotland and skiing", offering to pay for him to go on school trips and inviting him to play billiards at his home address while "comforting him" when he was targeted by bullies.
However, he then went on to assault the boy in his classroom while "positioning himself so as not to be seen by other pupils". Mr Polglase described how the victim "couldn't believe what was happening", but said that his "age and vulnerability prevented him from speaking up".
McCue would also abuse the boy after giving him detention. The pensioner was interviewed by detectives in May last year after the complainant disclosed the attacks, but denied the allegation and stated that he "must have got the wrong teacher".
The victim of the assaults told the court from the witness box: "From a young age, I was subjected to manipulation from someone who I was supposed to trust. This has driven me to attempt to take my own life on several occasions. In moments of despair, I feel like there is no escape from the pain that haunts me daily.
"The journey to recovery is long and fraught with challenges. Each day is a battle against the shadow of my past. I'm constantly reminded of the innocence that was stolen from me. He stole what should have been the formative years of my life, shaping me to being a responsible and normal man.
"He stole these opportunities from me for his own sexual gratification. I seek justice not only for myself but for all of the victims of abuse who have suffered in silence."
McCue has previously appeared before the law for sexual offences on four occasions. This saw him receive 15 months for three counts of indecent assault in 2001, six months for similar counts in 2004, a suspended prison sentence in 2006, two years in 2014 for a total of 12 offences and a further suspended jail term in 2016.
David Watson, defending, said on his behalf: "He is 91 years of age. That goes hand in hand with his health. There was a hospital admission relatively recently, in August and September last year, for a period of two weeks due to stomach issues.
"The defendant suffers significant issues with incontinence. He wears a pad for these purposes. He cannot be far from a lavatory at any time. He has significant mobility issues.
"The defendant is effectively housebound. He leaves his house very rarely. Sometimes, a neighbour will take him to withdraw cash and matters of that sort. Under his own steam, he is not able to leave the house. He would be significantly vulnerable in a custodial setting through his age and infirmity.
"He has not offended since his very first conviction. The court can be confident that he will not offend again. Justice has been served on this defendant with suspended sentences, and, in my submission, given his age and infirmity, should be again."
McCue admitted 10 counts of indecent assault. Appearing in the dock wearing a grey coat and glasses and walking with the aid of two sticks, he was handed a 24-month imprisonment suspended for two years.
Sentencing, District Judge Gwyn Jones said: "You were a teacher at that school in your mid-50s, where the public and students alike would look up to you. However, behind that respectable façade, you were a sexual deviant who used his position to take advantage of those who you felt were vulnerable.
"You had an unhealthy desire to satisfy your own sexual needs, having no regard whatsoever to the pain and trauma of those victims who you have offended against. By targeting these students, you took away their innocence and the opportunity to grow up without the trauma we have heard of in court today.
"You were betraying your profession. He felt he was powerless and that he could do very little. It has had a significant adverse impact on his life to date.
"The past is catching up. You are now 91 years of age. You are not in the best of health. You are living a solitary life in your own home. You have little, if any, social life.
"I am satisfied, for the reasons I have outlined, that the risk you pose can be managed in the community. You have a home that may be lost if you were given a lengthy custodial sentence and any work that could meaningfully be done within a prison environment may not be capable of being concluded in that period of time."
McCue was also told to pay court costs of £1,000 within 28 days and will be required to sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years. He then stood at the conclusion of the hearing and said: "Your honour, thank you very much."