Male performing arts teacher, 41, who was caught wearing a BRA while performing a sex act in an unlocked female toilet at a BP garage by a horrified mother and her five-year-old daughter is spared jail
- School tutor Steven Ballantyne was caught performing a sex act in a bra
- He was discovered by a mother and her daughter in female toilet at BP garage
- The 41-year-old has been spared jail but ordered to sign Sex Offenders Register
A male performing arts teacher who was caught wearing a bra while performing a sex act in an unlocked female toilet at a BP garage by a horrified mother and her young daughter has been spared jail.
School tutor Steven Ballantyne was in the toilet in the garage in Alnwick, Northumberland in January this year when he was seen by the shocked woman and her distraught five-year-old daughter.
A jury at Newcastle Crown Court has now convicted Ballantyne, who was employed by Northumberland County Council and worked in numerous schools on a supply basis, of outraging public decency. The council later confirmed that his employment has been terminated.
Ballantyne was sentenced to five months suspended for two years with 200 hours unpaid work.
He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register and be subject to a sexual harm prevention order, and was given a restraining order banning him from going to the BP garage in question or any female public toilet.
In a victim impact statement, the mother said: ‘I wish to say this has disgusted me. I’m in shock. I think it’s wrong what he has done. My five-year-old daughter has seen this man.’
School tutor Steven Ballantyne, who was caught performing a sex act in an unlocked female toilet at a BP garage in Alnwick, Northumberland by a mother and her young daughter
Another woman who witnessed the scene added: ‘I wish to say I’m shocked by what I’ve seen. I was frightened and can’t believe this male has been doing this in a public toilet. I’m disgusted and his behaviour is clearly wrong.’
Judge Sarah Mallett said the most serious aspect of the case was the fact the act was witnessed by a young child.
She added: ‘You remained for a lengthy period where you had been seen and remained for a time after you had been seen.
‘You knew there was a risk a female or child or disabled person could see what you were doing. I conclude that was your aim. You did cause some distress and fear.’
Peter Schofield, defending, said: ‘He still denies the allegation in terms of what took place. He very much regrets he is in this situation today. He has lost his good name.
‘He has worked as a performing arts instructor for more than 20 years, leading up to the pandemic when he was furloughed.
Newcastle Crown and Magistrates’ Court
‘He speaks with some pride about his students. He was involved in 19 or 20 schools a week working on a supply basis, working for Northumberland County Council. He has had to close a bank of experience providing worthwhile tutoring for students. That’s a real loss.
‘It’s horrific, with his background that he is appearing before the court in respect of something as humiliating as this. The fact he engaged in this conduct so close to home with the risk of people knowing him is bizarre in the extreme.’
A Northumberland County Council spokesperson said: ‘It is the local authority’s responsibility to ensure Northumberland’s children and young people are safe in the environments they learn.
‘For this reason and following investigations into Mr Ballantyne’s behaviour by the relevant authorities we made the decision to terminate his employment in July 2021.’
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