Justice finally caught up yesterday with a former gym teacher who sexually abused pupils more than 30 years ago.

Two of Alan Grant's victims were at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday to see him being jailed for four and half years for indecency offences which began in 1960.

One, who is still going to Victim Support, spoke afterwards about the devastation that Grant, now 65, had inflicted on his life, leaving him still attending a stress centre three times a week because of panic and anxiety attacks.

He said: ''I am just happy it is all over, but I don't think he is getting punished nearly enough.

''Now I have to try and explain everything to my wife and that is going to be the hardest part.''

The man, who was a 12-year-old pupil at Ainslie Park High School in Edinburgh when Grant began molesting him in 1960, added: ''It got to the stage where I just ran away from school whenever he sent for me. I knew what he was sending for me for and I was terrified.''

He explained how later in life he had to give up playing football because he could not stand the physical contact between the players during the celebrations after a goal had been scored.

Grant, who now lives at Sunnyside, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, originally appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court where he admitted indecency charges involving three boys. These were committed between 1960 and 1965.

The case was sent to the High Court for sentence because the sheriff felt that his maximum sentencing power of three years was inadequate.

Lord Cullen, the Lord Justice Clerk, was told that Grant had begun teaching at Ainslie Park in 1959, the year before he picked out his first victim.

Mr Simon Di Rollo, advocate-depute, told the judge that during a weekend school trip to Peebles the boy became aware that the teacher was touching him while he was in bed. At school, Grant twice sent for the boy and fondled him.

During a school trip to Germany Grant again made advances to the boy, but this time the victim hit him in the face and fought him off.

By this time Grant had selected another boy. He would assault him after ordering him to stay behind after school. He warned him not tell anyone else what had happened.

The offences against this boy took place two or three times a term and continued for three years. He had suffered serious long-term effects because of the abuse.

Grant also molested a third boy at the school.

The advocate-depute added that Grant continued teaching at the school until 1971 when he moved to another Edinburgh secondary, Craigroyston, as head of PE. He was struck off in 1974 after a court appearance for sex abuse involving a teenage girl, for which he was fined.

After his wife divorced him, Grant received psychiatric treatment following a suicide attempt and moved to England where he worked as a recreation officer with a local council.

His past caught up with him after an article appeared in a newspaper and his victims began contacting the police.

Mr Richard Reid, defence counsel, said Grant had never denied his involvement in the offences. ''He fully realises that he was in a position of responsibility and he abused this. He fully acknowledges the hurt and effect his actions had on the victims at the time and subsequently and on their families''

After he left Scotland, Grant had worked in jobs in which he was trusted and helped the community. ''There has never been any suggestion from anyone of a repeat of these offences.''

Lord Cullen told the accused that the offences were serious and it was plain that he had to impose a significant jail sentence.