Ex-teacher awaits sentence

A TEACHER who sex with two girl pupils has had sentence deferred, because his lawyer was not available.

Christopher Cunningham 58, was due to be sentenced at Livingston Sheriff Court yesterday.

But the case was put back a week to allow his advocate to attend and submit a formal plea to the sheriff not to send the shamed art teacher to jail.

Cunningham, of Leith Walk had been a teacher for nearly 20 years before the offences came to light in August 2009.

The married father of two had sex with the teenagers while in the woods and on a camping trip.

He also took the youngsters to a beach and even to his mother's home for sex. He admitted breaching his position of trust as a teacher by having sex with the pupils, who were 16 when the offences started.