A HEADTEACHER has been suspended from a Scots school after allegations of inappropriate sexual and physical behaviour towards female staff members emerged.
Stefan Horsman, headteacher at Albyn School in Aberdeen, has been accused of inappropriate behaviour at a staff Christmas party that took place on December 21.
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The school previously confirmed that they were investigating a “serious matter”, but sent letters to parents explaining it was not a child safeguarding issue.
The board said Horsman, 46, was taking paid absence while a full independent investigation takes place.
But The Sunday Times has now revealed that Horsman has been accused of a number of inappropriate acts towards female staff members at the Christmas night out.
The alleged incidents are claimed to have taken place at a busy, public bar and witnesses have alleged that Horsman fondled the backs of several young women and approached young female employees after drinking tequila.
He is also alleged to have licked the forehead of one staff member and tried to unclip her bra.
He is then alleged to have tried to kiss her after making a sexually explicit comment.
Witnesses further claimed that two women loudly and repeatedly told Horsman to stop before.
He was allegedly escorted from the premises by two other colleagues after one woman demanded that he leave.
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Staff members at the school alleged to The Sunday Times: “He was drinking shots at the bar alongside female staff members.
“He started putting his hands up the backs of some of them and was stroking them.
“They were visibly uncomfortable and one of them explicitly told him he was being inappropriate and asked him to stop.”
Other witnesses claimed that he then focused on one female employee.
They claimed: “He kissed her on the forehead repeatedly.
“He then reached around and undid her bra strap. She repeatedly said ‘No, No’, but he pulled her in.”
Horsman is then alleged to have made an inappropriate sexual comment to the woman about how attractive he found her before trying to kiss her.
Witnesses further alleged: “She managed to push him away and was clearly angry and distressed.
“This was in full view of his colleagues in a packed public bar. The woman approached his personal assistant and said: ‘He needs to leave now.’”
Two colleagues allegedly escorted him out and put Horsman in a taxi.
It is alleged that Horsman reached out to one of the women involved in the alleged incident the following day and urged her not to take it further.
It is further alleged that attempts were made to discredit one of the other complainants.
After the alleged incident, former staff members have come forward and accused Horsman of bullying behaviour.
One woman alleged: “He raised his voice towards me, saying that I was making a mistake and would regret my decision.
“He is 6ft 6in. I felt totally shaken up. I cried in my car and told my line manager that he had shouted at me, but nothing was done.”
Horsman left Robert Gordon’s College to join the team at Albyn School in 2021.
He previously taught at Portsmouth Grammar School, Latymer Upper School in London and Cheadle Hulme School in Greater Manchester.
He secured these posts after teaching in Malawi for a year.
An Albyn School spokesperson said: “Albyn School is built on an ethos of community and mutual respect, and allegations of this nature are always taken extremely seriously.
“Our primary concern is to ensure there is no disruption to school life and we have measures in place to ensure that is the case.
“We will be dealing with matters in line with our internal procedures and have offered everyone involved our full support.
“It would be inappropriate to comment further whilst matters are ongoing.”
The statement shared with parents read: “Community spirit and mutual respect are the bedrock of our school, and this is why we have acted quickly to both address the issue and resolve any matters that might arise.”
An interim head, David Starbuck, has been appointed with immediate effect.
Aberdeen City Council’s education convener Councillor Martin Greig, whose Hazlehead/Queens Cross/Countesswells ward includes Albyn School, added: “The school has been a well-respected place of learning for many years.
“Hopefully the issue will be resolved as soon as possible to provide reassurance to the whole school community.”
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Horsman’s solicitor told The Sunday Times he was unable to comment while an investigation was taking place.
He could not be contacted for comment.