Man who fooled Bearsden Academy. A '17-year-old' schoolboy was an old boy of 32.

to claim that he was a teenager, it emerged last night.

Brandon Lee, as he called himself, gained five A-grade Highers at

Bearsden Academy, near Glasgow, while claiming to be 17, then went on to

Dundee University in October last year with the aim of becoming a

doctor.

He had previously been a pupil at Bearsden Academy, but left between

14 and 17 years ago.

On his return to the school, he had presented documents which

convinced teaching staff he had been at another school but had moved

into the area.

It is understood he left university at the end of first term for

personal reasons but was due to resume his studies next month.

Places on medicine courses are in high demand and Dundee does not

normally offer them to anyone aged over 30.

A spokeswoman for the university said last night: ''We have a student

with that name. We are surprised about this and will be conducting our

own inquiry.''

Strathclyde region has also begun an investigation to establish how Mr

Lee managed to pass himself off as a 17-year-old fifth-year pupil at the

secondary. He left in June last year.

Education leaders are now bound to face a barrage of questions over

the incident. Concerned parents are likely to be worried that a

32-year-old man was in classrooms with youngsters under false pretences.

However, Lee was said to be a model pupil who fully participated in

extra curricular activities and was desperate to become a doctor. He

joined the school in 1993 as a fifth year pupil.

He had a Bearsden address which the school checked, and when it was

confirmed as accurate, he was enrolled.

The head teacher, Mr Norman MacLeod, last night declined to discuss

the matter because it was under investigation by Strathclyde's education

department.

His deception came to light this summer when he went to Tenerife on

holiday with two girls who were former classmates. They had stayed on at

the school for a sixth year.

It is understood Spanish police went to his accommodation after he was

arrested following a bar-room brawl.

The Herald has been told the girls handed police two different

passports with two different names, and two ages, 17 and 32.

It is understood Mr MacLeod was aware of rumours about what was said

to have happened over the summer and investigated them. In the course of

his investigations it is undestood that he has seen Lee to discuss the

matter.

The school is in Strathclyde region's Dunbarton Division, and the

authority's director of education, Mr Frank Pignatelli, said last night:

''We were taken aback by this. We have undertaken a detailed

investigation into the matter. It appears to be a case of

misrepresentation.''

Two former classmates of Brandon Lee said last night that he often

returned to Glasgow from Dundee University where he met old friends over

a drink at The Beefeater Steakhouse in Bearsden's Old Station.

''When he first came to school he looked older than the others, but

that sometimes happens. He said he was 15 then,'' said Gordon Barron,

18, of Rubislaw Drive.

''I thought he was a teacher, but when someone looks older you just

get used to it. He was popular and outgoing and told jokes like anyone

of our age.'' He also acted in the school play, taking the lead in South

Pacific.

Jonathan Shearer, 17, who along with Gordon, was in the same

registration class as Lee.

''He said he was from Canada, but was always a bit vague about where

exactly he came from. He said he lived with an aunt.

''He didn't invite people home, but he took part in things and was

very sociable.''

A teacher at the school said last night: ''We knew he had a peculiar

background. He had been to America. He looked so much older than the

other pupils.

''We thought he had such a mature vocabulary. He was in the school

show and wrote a couple of stories for the school magazine.'' One was

set in a pub and centred around the relationship of a mother and her

boyfriend.

There were reports last night that some of the teachers who originally

taught him helped him through his Highers. It was said they had failed

to recognise him.

Last night the motive for his masquerading as a school pupil was

uncertain.

Scottish secondaries take on adult returners to the classroom and if

Mr Lee had gone to the school as a mature student he would have been

enrolled.

* Brandon Lee was the name of the actor son of the late Bruce Lee, the

martial arts film star. He died during the filming of The Crow.