DAVID PULLAR, DUNDEE YOUTH WORKER, BANNED FOLLOWING PUPIL AFFAIR

In August 2008, a youth worker from a Dundee secondary school was banned from working with children after engaging in an affair with a 15-year-old pupil. David Pullar, aged 30, was employed to provide 'pastoral care' to emotionally troubled students at the school. The police became involved when Pullar was observed kissing and cuddling the girl at a wedding in Pitlochry.

Pullar was prohibited from having unsupervised contact with children, placed on the sex offenders register, and sentenced to 180 hours of community service. Additionally, he was ordered not to reside in a house where children are present.

Despite acknowledging that he continues to pose a 'medium risk' of sexual offending, sheriff at Perth Sheriff Court decided that the public interest was better served by not sending him to prison. Sheriff Robert McCreadie stated, 'This involved a gross breach of trust on your part. A short prison sentence—which would be all that is available to me—would not address the risk of future offending behaviour referred to in the [social work] report. It is better in the public interest to address the risk which has been identified.'

Pullar, a resident of Perth, admitted to engaging in sexual activity with the girl at a campsite in Dunkeld on June 1 of the previous year. He also confessed to having a sexual encounter with the teenager at a wedding in Pitlochry on July 22. The court was informed that Pullar was initially suspended from his job and later resigned before admitting to the affair. It was also revealed that he continued his relationship with the pupil after his suspension. Since then, he has lost employment in the oil industry and remains unemployed.