A SHAMED school teacher who sent bullets in the post to a man who had an affair with his wife has been spared a prison sentence.

Michael Gaffney narrowly avoided a prison sentence after being convicted of a prolonged hate campaign against the man which spanned eight months.

Greenock Sheriff Court heard that the Gourock history teacher’s career now lies in tatters after he was suspended by his council employer as a result of his conviction.

His crime has also led to an independent investigation by the General Teaching Council, with union bosses warning the 52-year-old that the probe is likely to lead to his dismissal.

The court had previously heard how Gaffney hunted the man down via social media after being told by his wife last March that she had been date raped by the complainer nearly 12 years previously after he spiked her drink.

An irate Gaffney sent letters to the man’s neighbours branding him a drug dealer and a rapist, before posting further correspondence to his target’s home, claiming to originate from an Irish terrorist movement.

The letter contained two imitation bullets and a racial slur, accompanied by a warning which read: “You will be shot. No more hiding behind doors and your woman, cowardly liar, crook and fraudster. Now a target. Remove from this address in Greenock now. Last chance.”

Gaffney signed off the letter: “Belfast Continuity. One warning only.”

The teacher also tracked the victim’s wife to her place of work and told her in person of the rape allegation.

The woman told the court she had been ‘scared and terrified’ by Gaffney’s actions.

The court heard that the teacher’s spouse eventually confessed that she had actually been having a consensual relationship with the man in 2003.

It began after she met him in Gourock’s Cafe Continental in October that year and went back to his house – just three months into her marriage with Gaffney.

Gaffney, of Darroch Drive, was found guilty of engaging in a course of conduct between March 1 and November 1 2015, including making enquiries via social network sites to trace the man and state repeatedly that he was a rapist under investigation by police, as well as sending postal packets to his neighbours, falsely stating that he was a rapist and a drug dealer.

He was also convicted of sending a postal packet containing imitation bullets, causing the complainer and his wife to be placed in a state of fear and alarm, on October 31 last year.

Defence solicitor Aidan Gallagher said his client recognised his offences were of an extremely serious nature.

He added: “He is a first time offender. He was understandably distressed by the news surrounding his spouse and the other party involved here but he accepts that he should have behaved in a completely different way.”

Despite finding him guilty after a three-day trial last month, Sheriff Tom Ward told Gaffney that he hoped he would be able to resurrect his career.

He said: “I can perhaps understand why you acted in the manner but I don’t condone it in any way. This was a serious matter and one that would have caused great alarm to all of the people involved.

“However you seem to have at least gained an insight into the consequences of your actions and that is to your credit.

“I would hope that this would not bring an end to your career, but that is not a decision for me.

“Taking everything into account, a custodial sentence is not necessary.”

Sheriff Ward sentenced Gaffney to 240 hours unpaid work, the maximum that can be imposed.

He was given six months to complete the order.

In closing, the sheriff told him: “I think this whole experience has been a lesson to you. I do not expect to see you back here again.”