A “bullying” sports coach painted a penis on a student’s face at the school where he worked

Elliott Millar got a job at Life Wirral Sports School without any training

Elliot Millar(Image: Merseyside Police)

A sports coach who drew a penis on the face of a student at the school where he worked was put behind bars. During his time at Life, Elliott Millar slapped and headbutted students Wirral Sports school of the village New Brighton.

It is said that he started working at the institution only the day after an “informal” interview with the director, without any training. Today, a judge called his actions “disgustingly inappropriate” and “nothing short of bullying”.

Liverpool Magistrates’ Court heard this Monday morning that undercover reporter Sacha Hinde worked as a staff member at an independent school for pupils with special educational needs for seven weeks until May 24 this year. The video shot by the journalist was later broadcast as part of a BBC A panoramic documentary with raw footage given to Merseyside Police.

Matthew Dixon, prosecuting, told how Millar is seen in one clip assaulting a student who was sitting at a desk using his laptop with headphones on. Liskeardhe was seen “coming up from behind and patting him on the neck.”

When the boy stood up, the employee “put him in the head.” The student was left with a small scratch on his neck, which he received when he tried to break away from the hold.

During the second attack on the same victim, Millar punched and kicked him. Then, on April 23, the defendant approached the other boy from behind, pulled him back and drew a penis on his face.

They say that on another occasion he put a pupil in his head. Millar was also accused of assaulting Ms Hinde while the pair were together in the staff room, at which point he began re-enacting the incident and “punched the reporter in the face, narrowly missing her, and caused her to fear immediate violence”.

Video of the two attacks, which took place in the classroom, was played in court and a woman, described in court as the “supervisor”, walks past as Millar paints crude graffiti on his victim’s face. In a statement read out in court on their behalf, one of the boys’ families said: “Even though he was abused, he thought it was normal.”

Anthony Nelson, defending, told the court: “Every parent, every child who entered the Life School had a realistic expectation that their child would be in professional, capable, caring hands. It wasn’t like that from top to bottom.

“This behavior was typical of the school, was common at the school and was the norm at the school. This is absolutely outrageous and a local scandal. My client does not seek to justify his behavior at all.

“He has problems with the loss of his fiancee. He is deeply remorseful. He has extremely intelligent parents who are remorseful. They are heartbroken and I think they haven’t slept a single night since they found out about these events.

“Mr Millar is vulnerable. He has ADHD himself and was completely unfit for this role. He had an informal interview with the principal and started work the next day, with no training or instruction. That doesn’t excuse his behavior, but it might explain it.

“None of these kids did anything to encourage this type of activity. They were all completely blameless. He is deeply remorseful. He’s never been in trouble before. He’s had a tough two years. That doesn’t excuse his behavior. This is completely abusive.” trust, and he accepts it.

“He was going through hard times at the local level. He was insulted, threatened. Of course, this applies to the territory.”

Millar, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to four counts of assault and using threatening behaviour. Appearing in the dock wearing a black suit over a white shirt and gray tie, he was jailed for 12 weeks as his parents sat in tears in the public gallery.

Passing sentence, District Judge James Hutton said: “This is a serious but I accept unusual case because it was discovered during an investigation by an undercover reporter. One can only speculate, had this investigation not been conducted, whether the conduct demonstrated in this case may well have continued unabated.

“You admitted the offense at the beginning of the police interrogation. I also consider your age and relative immaturity.

“I have read numerous character references and a pre-sentence report detailing your apparent remorse. It details your background, including your diagnosis of ADHD and how it has affected different stages of your life, as well as the struggles you have had since the tragic and untimely death of your fiancée.

“I am less impressed by the elements of your mitigation which I believe are intended to place your behavior within systemic and endemic behavior that may have been present at the school. Your behavior was your responsibility.

“It would be obvious to anyone that your behavior was horribly inappropriate and nothing short of cruel bullying. There are several different attacks. You clearly held a position of trust.

“In one case, you drew a penis on a student’s face. This included gratuitously humiliating your victim. Although I accept that you have no convictions and no favorable opinion of your ordinary character and conduct, these offenses are so serious and the aggravating factors so severe that only by imposing immediate imprisonment can I achieve an appropriate sentence.”