Woman teacher, 27, who had sex with 17-year-old pupil is spared prison and handed community order

Guilty: Teacher Eppie Sprung Dawson, 27, was given a six month community order after admitting having sex with a 17-year-old pupil

A teacher who was caught having sex with a teenage pupil in a layby has been spared jail and given a six month community payback order.

Eppie Sprung Dawson, 27, picked up the 17-year-old pupil in Dumfries and drove to a secluded spot between Cummertrees and Hoddam where they had sex in the front seat of her car, a court heard.
But the pair were discovered by patrolling police officers who noticed the parked car.
Earlier this year, Dawson admitted that on December 21 last year, while she was in a position of trust and being the teacher of the youth, she engaged in sexual activities with, or directed towards, a person under the age of 18 and that she had sexual intercourse with him.
Today she was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' register for six months and will be placed under the supervision of social workers for the same length of time.
Agent David Finnie said Dawson had undergone four sessions of counselling and had another 12 to complete and he added that it had become clear that there was counselling available for her and she had willingly taken this up on her own.

Mr Finnie said she had undergone four sessions and she was finding it beneficial.
He suggested that the whole matter be cleared up so that she could do what was necessary to get on with her life.

'This was a case of breach of trust rather than any form of abuse. I would suggest that the community payback order might be sufficient,' he said.

Last month Sheriff George Jamieson told her that but for her being a teacher, she would not be facing a charge because the pupil would have been the age of consent. He told her that she had breached a position of trust.

Mr Finnie described Sprung Dawson as a gifted, talented and committed teacher who was dedicated to her job.
Dawson taught at St Joseph's College in Dumfries and had earlier agreed to give the dyslexic teenager extra lessons.
But she had thrown all this away and in addition to wrecking her career, her marriage had been wrecked.
She was married to Ranald Dawson, 32, son of former Solicitor General for Scotland Lord Dawson.

Breach of trust: Dawson was a teacher at St Josephs College, Dumfries, when she agreed to give the dyslexic pupil extra lessons

Dumfries Sheriff Court heard that Dawson's career was in ruins and the tryst had ended her marriage with husband Ranald

Sheriff Jamieson who ordered Dawson to return to court on September 18 for updated reports said it was important to address the criminal side of the charge but it was encouraging that she was benefitting from counselling.

He hoped that the social workers could add to the therapy.
Dawson is no longer employed by Dumfries and Galloway Council.

The court heard that Dawson has already undergone therapy sessions following the incident

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