Mother fined for abusing gay teacher via son’s passbook
Angela Linton wrote an abusive rant directed at her son’s teacher.
She was fined £185 and given a 150 hours of community service at Birmingham Magistrates Court.
Ms Linton had argued with the staff at Perry Beeches secondary school in Birmingham over a detention given to her son for having a mobile phone in class, and over paying for a school trip. She was reportedly abusive over the phone, and at the school gates, and then banned from school premises.
She was told she could only communicate with the school via her son’s passbook – in which she then wrote a homophobic rant directed at gay teacher Thomas O’Brien.
Prosecutor Helen Shipley said: “Mr O’Brien said he was traumatised by reading these comments. His sexuality was well known. He said it was something he was comfortable with.
“He could not believe they had been written. He did not know the reason for it.”
Magistrate Peter Pratt said: “There is no doubt whatsoever that you have intentionally caused harassment, alarm or distress, most obviously to Mr O’Brien.
“The virulent language undoubtedly caused Mr O’Brien to be fearful.”
