Dornoch teacher let off the Hook
Highland Council is standing by a Sutherland teacher who returned home drunk and assaulted his son during a domestic incident at the family’s Dornoch home.
The town’s sheriff court was told this week that Michael Hook, 6 Stafford Road, Dornoch, would not lose his post with the local authority.
But it emerged that Hook (53), a long standing and well respected history teacher at Dornoch Academy, was still not out of the woods yet and could be investigated by the General Teaching Council for Scotland.
Sheriff David Sutherland deferred sentence against Hook for six months and ordered him to be of good behaviour in the meantime.
The case will call again on 19th March next year at which point the sheriff has asked for an up-to-date social work report on Hook to be available.
The sheriff acknowledged that it was an "unusual step" to defer sentence for good behaviour in an offence of this type.
But he said that he took into account Hook’s previous exemplary record and also testimonials handed in by numerous people, including members of his family.
This week's court appearance was the third Hook has made in connection with the assault, which happened at 6 Stafford Road three months ago on 1st July.
He was arrested following the incident and first appeared from custody at Tain Sheriff Court on Tuesday 5th July when he admitted assaulting Cameron Hook by striking him on the head with a jacket and repeatedly hitting him on the head and body with a mop as well as head butting him on the face, to his injury.
The teacher further pleaded guilty to a second charge of swearing, threatening violence and causing fear and alarm to others at the same address.
Sentence at that point was deferred for social work reports and Hook was granted bail on condition he lived at his mother’s address in Dornoch.
Hook made a second appearance at Dornoch Sheriff Court last month when Sheriff David Sutherland again delayed sentencing until this week – this time ordering that a medical report be prepared.
Defecne agent Donald Mackenzie explained to Tuesday's court the cirumstances that led Hook to lash out at his son.The lawyer said: "The background to Mr Hook's unfortunate position is that he and some colleagues had been out for a social evening at the end of term.
"It is quite plain, and Mr Hook has accepted from the outset that what caused the trouble that evening, was that he had taken more drink than was good for him. He returned home in an inebriated state.
"At that point his wife was out at work and two of his sons were at home. The sons were concerned at their father’s condition and sought to encourage him to stay at home but he was not for taking their advice and a stramash ensued resulting in the police being called."
Mr Mackenzie said that Hook had spent the next four nights in custody. It was a holiday weekend and the custody court, which would normally have been held on a Monday, took place the following day instead.
The lawyer continued: "Due to an unfortunate misunderstanding between Mr Hook and the agent who represented him when he tendered his pleas, he was under the misapprehension he was banned from going to his home address."He was therefore effectively separated from his family during a five week period which clearly did not help matters. When the issue was clarified, he was immediately welcomed back to the family home. He has the complete support of his family"His wife and older son accompanied him to a previous court appearance and his wife is in court today along with a colleague. His older son would have been here but had to start college."Mr Mackenzie handed over to the bench a sheaf of over 30 testimonials written by local people in support of Hook."These were not sought by Mr Hook himself but were gathered by Dornoch Cathedral minister, the Rev Susan Brown, who is the Dornoch Academy school chaplain and who herself has written a full testimonial," said the lawyer."Colleagues of Mr Hook and the rector at Dornoch Academy have provided testimonials as have teachers at other schools, pupils and former pupils. All speak very highly of him in terms of his abilities as a teacher."Mr Mackenzie said Hook was full of remorse and had expressed deep shame about his behaviour and the consequences."He faces the spectre of disciplinary procedure," said the lawyer. "When he was last in court he appeared to be facing a risk from two different directions, the Highland Council and the General Teaching Council of Scotland."He is relieved to have been told, in a meeting with the Depute Director of Education just after the new term begun, that the Highland Council regarded this as a incident they do not need to become involved in because it was out of hours and occurred outwith the school."He does not yet know whether he will attract the adverse attention of the GTCS. That continues to hang over him and is a matter of considerable concern."Summing up, Mr Mackenzie pleaded: "I would ask that the court take into account the fact he is a 53-year-old man with an unblemished record and he put his hands up to the offence at the first opportunity."He spent four nights in custody but he has been accepted back by his family unconditionally.
"The local community holds him in high regard. In all the circumstances, and given the pain the family have been through, this may be a case where a disposal should be made that does not have a punishment element."
