A straight teacher is claiming he suffered sexual discrimination after being taunted by pupils.

James Campbell told a tribunal that students had bullied him, subjecting him to offensive comments suggesting he was gay. Pupils of Denny High School in Stirlingshire had called Mr Cambell “gay”, “poof” and “perv”. The former art teacher has claimed that this has had a long term affect upon him, and he now “hates” children.

Speaking to the tribunal in Glasgow yesterday Mr Campbell said: “They'd call me poof. It shouldn't have happened. Nobody should have called me all these things. Surely there should be some retribution for this.

"Somebody has called me all these names. I think it is just and equitable that the case is heard. It is still affecting me. When I see kids nowadays, I hate them because I expect the same thing as what happened to me at school."

Mr Campbell, who took early retirement in 2007, is claiming against Falkirk Council.