Teacher jailed for upskirting female pupils loses appeal against sentence

A teacher who was jailed after he was caught upskirting girl pupils at a school has lost a bid to win his freedom.

Lee Dixon, 30, was sentenced to 19 months’ imprisonment earlier this year after admitting voyeurism offences using his mobile phone to take pictures under clothing.

The former maths teacher from Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, appealed against the sentence imposed on him at Airdrie Sheriff Court in May.

Solicitor advocate Ann Ogg told judges at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh: “The imposition of a custodial sentence was both inappropriate and excessive.”

She argued that the sheriff who jailed Dixon had erred in choosing to deal with him by sentencing him to imprisonment, but if the court was not with her on that submission, the jail term was too long.

Ms Ogg said it was accepted that there was a breach of trust in the offending but maintained that there was significant mitigation.

She said Dixon was a first offender with a good work record who was assessed as a low risk of further general offending.

She told the court: “Significantly, the appellant lost his employment and career as a maths teacher.”

She said character references showed he was “very highly regarded”.

She said Dixon’s mental health was impacted by tragedies that occurred in his personal life and added: “These offences were very much out of character for the appellant.”

Ms Ogg said that Dixon was assessed as suitable for a community payback order with supervision and conduct requirements and unpaid work.

But Lord Matthews, sitting with Lord Armstrong, refused the appeal against the sentence as Dixon followed the proceedings by a TV link to Addiewell jail in West Lothian.

Dixon committed the offences at a secondary school in North Lanarkshire in March 2023 when he took pictures of a 12-year-old girl and then targeted a 15-year-old pupil.

A classmate of the older girl realised what Dixon was doing and reported her concerns before police were called in.