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Former headmaster of Perthshire boarding school jailed for sex offences against pupils in 1970s

Perth Sheriff Court.
Perth Sheriff Court.

The former headmaster at a Perth boarding school has been jailed for two years for molesting a pair of pupils more than 40 years ago.

David Cowling had denied the abuse, which took place when he was in charge of Balnacraig School.

A jury unanimously found him guilty of embracing one girl before kissing her and touching her inappropriately.

They also found the 76-year-old guilty by majority verdict of entering the bedroom of a second girl, lying on her bed, placing a hand on her hip and then carrying out a solo sex act.

Both offences took place in the 1970s when the victims were in their teens.

At Perth Sheriff Court Sheriff Lindsay Foulis stated that he could only sentence Cowling to a penalty equal to what he would have received when the offences were committed in the 1970s.

He said: “Having listened to the evidence of the two complainers in this case I found their evidence very compelling.

“At the time of the offences you were headmaster of an establishment with children under your control who were put there as they were in the care system.”

Sheriff Foulis stated that one of the complainers had been in the care system since they were 18-months-old.

He added: “These were vulnerable individuals. You were in a position of trust and undoubtedly you abused that trust.”