ART TEACHER CUNNINGHAM REMOVED FROM REGISTER OVER PUPILS SEX CASE
An art instructor has been removed from the teaching register after being convicted of sexual offences involving two pupils.Christopher Cunningham, aged 58, was found guilty in February of sexual misconduct with two students he supervised during 2008 and 2009.
The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) announced that Cunningham was sentenced by Livingston Sheriff Court to a 12-month prison term and that he did not attend the hearing.
The pupils involved were both older than 16 at the time of the offences and are currently 19.
The GTCS disciplinary committee decided Cunningham should be prohibited from reapplying to the registration list for one year.
Additionally, he was referred to the Scottish government as per the protections under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007.
A GTCS spokesman highlighted that Cunningham’s behavior compromised the trust essential to his role and was incompatible with being a registered teacher.
The incident exemplifies gross misconduct and a breach of professional trust within the teaching community.
