‘Creepy’ art teacher, 57, whose work has sold at Christie’s and would regularly drop his pencil in class so he could look up girls’ skirts is found guilty of repeated sex attacks
- James Skelton Smith, 57, has been found guilty of indecent assault on students
- The art teacher would reportedly drop pencils to leer under desks at schoolgirls
- One former student assaulted by him was so frightened she chose to ‘play dead’
- Smith was a surrealist artist whose work had previously been sold at Christie’s
James Skelton Smith, 57, has been found guilty of indecent sexual assault and has been placed on the Sex Offender’s Register
An art teacher who regularly dropped his pencil in class in order to look up girls’ skirts was yesterday found guilty of a string of sex attacks.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard how Smith would prey on young girls at the school, dropping pencils on the floor to leer up at them from under their desks.
After a three-day trial, Smith, of Dundee, was found guilty of indecent assault, sexual assault and breach of the peace over an 11-year period between 2008 and 2019.
During the trial, three schoolgirls said that ‘creepy’ Smith would repeatedly drop his pencil and crawl under their tables on his hands and knees, staring at their legs.
One pupil, now 15, said she felt ‘really violated’ when he touched her upper thigh with his palm on two occasions last year.
She broke down in tears as she gave evidence.
Another 15-year-old said she was ‘really weirded out’ after seeing Smith drop his pencil several times in front of her desk and those of her classmates’ then crawling underneath to pick it up.
The court heard how Smith would invite former students to his home to look at his paintings before making advances on them (Pictured: One of Smith’s paintings)
He bombarded one pupil with gifts and attention throughout her sixth year, causing her to drop out of his class to avoid him.
On her last day at the 1,200-pupil school, while she was still 17, he followed her into the street and gave her a ‘quite sexual’ kiss.
When she returned to hand in work for her final exams, he kissed her again and groped her in an empty classroom.
He also targeted pupils after they had left school. He invited one to his home to look at his paintings. He then subjected her to sexual assaults in his bedroom and in his daughter’s bedroom, leaving her so scared she decided to ‘play dead’.
Smith was found guilty at Dundee Sheriff Court (pictured), he showed no emotion as the verdict was passed against him
She said: ‘I didn’t say anything to him, I was extremely frightened, very, very intimidated, because he was acting in a way I never expected.
‘He said I should go to his bed. I did as I was told – I was scared. I curled myself up into a ball so I would be completely inaccessible, but it didn’t work. I was playing dead.’
Sheriff John Rafferty deferred sentence until November 7 for reports and ordered Smith’s name be placed on the sex offenders’ register.
He told Smith: ‘I found the Crown witnesses to be credible and reliable, in the main exceedingly impressive witnesses, and in some instances courageous witnesses. The case against you is compelling.’
Smith showed no emotion at the verdict. The court heard he had been suspended from the school for nine months and would lose his job.