Retired Lanarkshire teacher back behind bars for abusing boy

Peter McGuinness inappropriately touched a 14 year old boy in the 1990s

Author: Alice FaulknerPublished 2nd May 2024

A retired teacher who sexually groomed a boy is back behind bars after he was convicted of abusing a second victim.

Peter McGuinness, 59, also known as Peter McGinniss, inappropriately touched the boy from the age of 14 between 1992 and 1995.

McGuinness initially befriended the boy's family and gained their trust before he took his future victim on days out to bowling and swimming.

It was not until the boy's father died that McGuinness became sexually abusive towards him during sleepovers at his home in Rutherglen, Lanarkshire.

The victim - now aged 45 - told a jury that McGuinness would supply him with alcohol and attack him on a single bed when he was asleep.

Driving instructor McGuinness went on to become an English teacher and was later found guilty of grooming a 13-year-old boy between 2009 and 2010.

Jailed for two years in 2013

McGuinness was jailed for two years in 2013 and placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years which had recently expired.

However, McGuinness is now subject to its requirements after he was found guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court of his latest indecent assault charge.

Sentence was deferred pending background reports until the end of the month by Sheriff John McCormick.

He said: "You entangled yourself in his family and abused him, isolated him from his family after his father had passed.

"Your status has been changed and custody is inevitable standing the gravity of the charge and your record with the analogous previous conviction.

"You will be remanded in custody."

Smiled and shook his head

McGuinness smiled and shook his head at the victim who was in the public gallery as he was led into the cells from the dock.

The victim earlier told the court that he and his family met McGuinness through his older brother around 1989.

The man stated McGuinness came by their house more frequently as time went on.

The man said then 28-year-old McGuinness was like an older brother and took him to play pool, bowling and swimming.

The man also claimed that McGuinness would give him alcohol and buy takeaways.

He further recalled a trip with his friends to Craig Tara caravan park where they stayed over.

The man said: "These things cost money and I didn't get to do them very often - it was good at the time.

"This guy, I looked up to him, I thought the world of him, he was really nice to me. He had everyone fooled - my parents thought he was a nice man."

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