Teacher, 58, faces jail for having sex with pupils

Christopher Cunningham, 58, admitted taking the girls to remote woodlands and pitching a tent before having sex with each youngster in the other's presence.

The married art teacher, who lives in Crighton Place in Leith, also took the teens to his mother's house for a sex session in one of a string of sordid liaisons.

The father-of-two tried to commit suicide after the scandal came to light last August when one of the pupils sent a letter to the school revealing to other teachers what had happened.

Cunningham was suspended from the school and yesterday at Livingston Sheriff Court he admitted abusing his position of trust to form sexual relationships with two girls.

The pupils had both recently turned 16 when the relationships began in May 2008 at the West Lothian school, and continued with one of the girls as late as June last year.

The court heard that both girls had "problematic backgrounds" and had begun confiding in Cunningham about their difficulties at home.

On 5 May 2008, Cunningham met up with the girls, who believed they were getting together for lunch and a talk, before driving them to Camilty Woods at West Calder.

Cunningham took them to a secluded spot before pitching a tent and laying down blankets. He then had sex with one of the girls in front of the other pupil.

He returned to the woods in June and had sex with both youngsters in front of the other.

Fiscal depute Jane Hilditch outlined a number of liaisons during that summer, including those at Cunningham's mother's home in Fife.

Ms Hilditch said: "The accused as a teacher has repeatedly abused his position of trust by having sexual intercourse with the fourth-year pupils named in the charge.

"At the time of the offences the girls were aged between 16 and 17 years and one of the pupils was in his art class at the time."

But by October 2008, one of the girls started a new relationship with a former pupil at the school and broke off from seeing Cunningham.

She went on to fall out with the other girl over her continuation of the affair with Cunningham. The court heard that the other girl said she was "in love" with the teacher and their sexual relationship continued.

On one occasion in June, Cunningham took the youngster to Gullane Beach in East Lothian, again putting up a tent before having sex with her.

In March last year, the pupil who had stopped seeing Cunningham told her mother about the liaisons.

A few months later in July, the youngster sent a letter to the school confessing to the relationship with Cunningham, but staff did not open it until the first day of the new term.

Shocked teachers called the police and Cunningham's home was searched on 23 August last year, with officers seizing a tent and blankets.

Ms Hilditch said: "He spoke with his wife and stated that a letter had been received by the school accusing him of having sex with one of the girls.

"He told his wife that he had had consensual intercourse with both the girls and the accused apologised to his wife.

"After the police left the accused told her that he was not able to quantify how often it had happened. He told his wife that they were flirtatious and sexually promiscuous."

The next day Cunningham tried but failed to take his own life. He was later suspended from his 30,000 per year position at the secondary school.

After his release from hospital on 26 August last year, he was interviewed by officers at Livingston police station and admitted having sex with both the girls.

Sheriff Grahame Fleming deferred sentence for reports until August..