Kirsty Buchan, a former physics teacher from Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, has found herself at the center of a national debate after being struck off the teaching register and handed a hefty tax penalty. The 34-year-old, who taught at Bannerman High School in Glasgow, resigned from her post in 2022 after it emerged that pupils had accessed her sexually explicit OnlyFans profile. Now, she faces a £25,189.28 fine from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for failing to pay nearly £39,000 in taxes between April 2022 and April 2023, according to multiple reports from the BBC, the Daily Record, and The Scottish Sun.
Buchan’s story is a whirlwind of controversy, raising questions about privacy, professional boundaries, and the realities of modern life. She adopted the pseudonym "Jessica Jackrabbit" on OnlyFans, describing herself as a “good teacher gone bad.” Her decision to join the adult content platform was, by her own account, motivated by financial necessity. "My salary wasn’t enough for me and my family to live on," she explained in an interview with The Scottish Sun. She also told the Daily Record she could make up to £60,000 a month on the site—far more than her teaching wage.
But the side hustle that was supposed to help her make ends meet quickly spiraled into a public scandal. When students at Bannerman High discovered her OnlyFans page, the news spread rapidly. In June 2025, the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) struck Buchan off the register, citing her failure to conceal her identity and profession, and concluding that her behavior "lacked integrity." The regulatory body found that her actions were incompatible with the standards expected of educators. Buchan, for her part, was outraged by what she called a “heavy handed” decision. Speaking on Good Morning Britain, she said, “Of course, I knew the risks involved. But I’m a mum at the end of the day. My son comes first. Paying my bills comes first. I spoke to my son before doing it. I’d used a different name.”
Despite the controversy, Buchan has maintained that she never wanted to leave teaching. She told the BBC that she had worked hard to earn the respect of her colleagues and students, and that many continued to support her. “I’ve had messages from all my old colleagues and all the schoolkids support me to this day. I worked hard to get respect from them and build a positive relationship,” she said. But, as the GTCS saw it, the lines between her personal and professional lives had been blurred beyond repair.
The fallout from her OnlyFans activity didn’t end with her teaching career. HMRC named Buchan as one of 160 individuals and businesses who had "deliberately defaulted" on tax payments exceeding £25,000. The tax authority said she had failed to pay £38,902.37 in tax over the course of a year and issued a penalty of £25,189.28 following an investigation. Her details have been published online as part of HMRC’s crackdown on unpaid taxes, and will remain on the list for up to 12 months, as reported by the BBC and The Scottish Sun.
Buchan, however, disputes the final amount owed and the penalty charges. In a statement to BBC Scotland News, she said, “I am not avoiding paying the tax bill but I am in the process of disputing the penalty charges and the final amount owed. Once that is all sorted I will be clearing any tax owed.” She maintains that she intends to pay any outstanding tax once the dispute is resolved. The HMRC, for its part, insists that publishing the names of deliberate defaulters is a necessary deterrent. Kevin Hubbard, HMRC’s director of individual and small business compliance, told reporters, “We are committed to tackling those who deliberately default on the tax they owe and creating a level playing field for businesses. By publishing the names of deliberate defaulters and their penalties, we send a clear message that non-compliance has consequences.”
Buchan’s case has sparked debate far beyond the classroom. Her supporters argue that her OnlyFans work was a response to the chronic underpayment of teachers and the rising cost of living—a situation that has pushed many professionals into side jobs or so-called "gig economy" roles. Buchan herself said she had previously worked at Tesco and as an elf at a Christmas event to supplement her teaching income. Some see her as a victim of circumstance, forced to choose between financial stability and her career.
Critics, however, point to the importance of professional boundaries and the role of teachers as role models. The GTCS’s decision highlighted concerns about the accessibility of her content to students and the potential reputational damage to the teaching profession. The case has also raised thorny questions about privacy in the digital age. Buchan claimed to BBC News that her images were illegally downloaded and shared with pupils, a situation she described as deeply distressing. She insisted that she never intended for her OnlyFans persona to intersect with her classroom life.
Meanwhile, the financial side of the story continues to unfold. HMRC’s crackdown on unpaid taxes has swept up individuals and businesses from a range of backgrounds, but Buchan’s high profile has brought extra scrutiny. The tax authority’s deliberate defaulters list is intended to serve as both a warning and a deterrent, signaling that even those outside traditional business can be held accountable for unpaid taxes. As of November 20, 2025, Buchan’s details remain public, a stark reminder of the consequences that can follow when personal choices and professional responsibilities collide.
As for Buchan, she remains defiant. “I am not avoiding paying the tax bill,” she told BBC Scotland News. “Once that is all sorted I will be clearing any tax owed.” Her story, for better or worse, has become a touchstone in ongoing conversations about the pressures facing educators, the rise of online content platforms, and the reach of tax authorities in the digital age.
For now, the former "good teacher gone bad" finds herself navigating a complex web of legal, financial, and personal challenges—her story serving as both a cautionary tale and a reflection of the times.
