Scots teacher goes on trial accused of sexual abuse of 13 boys at school
A teacher has gone on trial accused of the sexual abuse of 13 boys at the school where he worked.
Martin Gallacher is alleged to have abused the youngsters at Paisley Grammar School in Paisley, Renfrewshire.
The 46-year-old denies 22 charges - 19 sex assaults and three indecent communication offences - and went on trial at Paisley Sheriff Court today, Friday, September 18, 2026
He is said to have targeted boys aged from 11 to 17 between 2015 and 2024 while working as a computing teacher at the school, in the town's Glasgow Road.
A video recording of evidence given by his first alleged victim was played to the court.
In it, the 14-year-old said "Mr Gallacher" touched him when he asked for help in his computing class.
He said: "He touched my leg. It was after P.E. so I had my shorts on.
"He was moving his hand up my leg. He started running his hand up my leg.
"His hand went underneath my boxer shorts - he was obviously going for something else.
"It was his right hand on my left leg. I felt uncomfortable. It was under the desk.
"It was near to my private area. My testicles and my penis area.
"He was always fine with me, we'd talk about football and that kinda stuff, but everyone else got a weird vibe off him.
"I told my pals that he had touched my leg."
The boy said that it happened in the middle of a lesson, that other pupils were in the class.
But he said that nobody else noticed what had happened because everyone was getting on with their work and it was under the desk.
The boy said that he walked out of the class following the incident and that he "patched" going to Gallacher's class the next day.
And he said he ended up leaving the school over what had happened to him.
He explained: "I told my mum and dad. They contacted the school.
"The school took Mr Gallacher's side on it. They said because it was only my word there was no evidence."
When asked by Advocate Patricia Baillie, representing Gallacher, if Gallacher had actually "tapped" him on the leg with his hand, the boy said: "No."
The trial, before Sheriff Eoin McGinty, continues.
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