GILLES BROWN FROM SOUTH QUEENSFERRY SENTENCED FOR SENDING INAPPROPRIATE VIDEOS TO EX-PUPILS IN KIRKCALDY

Gilles Brown, a 32-year-old former secondary school teacher residing in Inchgarvie Park, South Queensferry, has been handed a community-based sentence after being convicted of sending explicit videos and inappropriate messages to three young women who were once his students. The case was heard at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, where it was revealed that all three women had followed Brown on social media after completing their schooling, which he exploited to engage with them in a manner deemed highly inappropriate.

Brown, who previously taught history and modern studies, was found guilty of multiple charges related to his conduct. The court heard that he had sent lewd videos of himself to a girl aged 16 in 2019, which included footage of sex toys, and had made sexually explicit remarks to another female student, aged 16 to 21, over a period from August 2019 to May 2024. These communications involved repeated videos and photographs of Brown masturbating, as well as images of sex toys and naked photographs of himself.

Furthermore, between June 2021 and March 2024, Brown directed inappropriate comments and sent explicit videos to a third victim, who was 18 at the time. During a visit to the school to sign her leavers’ form, he asked her whether she was wearing pants under her skirt, an act that further exemplifies his inappropriate behavior.

In court, Sheriff Neil Kinnear acknowledged that Brown had already paid a significant personal price for his actions, including the loss of his teaching career, a subsequent technical role, and his ability to compete in a martial arts sport at the national level. The sheriff emphasized that while Brown’s actions were a clear breach of boundaries, they were characterized as poor judgment rather than malicious intent. He noted that Brown had engaged in these behaviors during a period when he was experiencing personal difficulties, which may have clouded his judgment.

Sheriff Kinnear stated, “You did not take steps to confirm that they were consenting and you just assumed they were happy, but it is clear from the evidence they were not and were upset by the entirely inappropriate conduct you engaged in.” He further commented that Brown’s behavior was unacceptable and that, had he been thinking clearly, he would have recognized the boundaries he crossed.

As part of his sentence, Brown was ordered to complete 240 hours of unpaid work and placed under offender supervision for one year, with specific conduct requirements. Additionally, he was registered on the sex offenders register for a year. The court’s judgment was based on multiple charges, including acting in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear or alarm by sending a video containing sex toys to a girl in 2019, and repeatedly sending sexually explicit messages and images to the other two victims over several years.

Brown’s defense lawyer, David Bell, stated that his client did not agree with the verdict but accepted the court’s decision. Bell explained that Brown acknowledged to a social worker that he recognized his poor judgment and expressed regret for initiating any communication at all. He emphasized that Brown’s career, which included being a world and European champion in his sport, has been effectively ended by these events, and he is now ostracized from his community and sporting circles. Bell concluded by noting that Brown has already suffered significant punishment as a result of his actions, and the court’s sentence reflects the seriousness of his misconduct.