The Spectator editor mocks criticism of pro-pedophilia article published by his magazine

"I never found out because the one thing stopping me from being a teacher was that I could not remotely conceive of not trying to shag the kids," wrote The Spectator contributor Rod Liddle in the 2012 article. "It seemed to me virtually impossible not to, and I was convinced that I’d be right in there, on day one. We’re talking secondary school level here, by the way."

"At my old comprehensive school a few teachers were known to be schtupping the pupils; one of them, a female teacher who was extremely foxy in a Pot Noodle scuzzy kind of way — she copped off with some fifth-form lad, and another teacher (a man with a guitar and a faux rebellious attitude) gained the affections of an extremely attractive fourth-form girl," Liddle wrote.

Liddle noted that pupils at the school "didn’t remotely mind" and that the child predators at his school were "popular."

"I knew, when I was considering my career options, that this sort of behaviour was definitely frowned upon by the authorities and that I would not last the week in my new job," he said justifying his decision not to become a teacher.

Liddle then discussed a case of a 15-year-old girl who ran off with her mathematics teacher. "Call me Kenneth Clarke, but I think there are gradations of this sort of transgression, which take account of both the intent of the perpetrator and the level of willing reciprocity," Liddle said.

He then defended the teacher who groomed the 15-year-old by writing "thousands of teachers up and down the land conduct sexual relationships with their older charges and that in most cases no harm comes of it."

Childhood sexual abuse is known to cause immense emotional distress among victims later in life, with such actions being linked to drug abuse, anxiety, depression, suicide, and sexual proclivity.

Left-wing British journalist Owen Jones tweeted out his assessment of the Liddle piece.

The article has since been deleted by The Spectator.

Gray responded sarcastically "It’s true — we are constantly trying to stop Rod shagging kids," Gray wrote. "He’s insatiable. It’s a real problem and I’m grateful to Owen for pointing it out."

Gray doubled down on his dismissal of Jones in another tweet sent out shortly after.