A Kilwinning school teacher has been found guilty of sexually assaulting pupils in his classroom.
Cameron MacKenzie, a former geography and modern studies teacher at a North Ayrshire high school, has been convicted on two charges of sexual assault against pupils of a first-year class.
The incidents, which occurred between August 2017 and March of last year, took place during MacKenzie’s probationary year as a newly-qualified teacher at the school.
Over the course of a week-long trial, a jury at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard evidence from eight school pupils who made claims of inappropriate behaviour from MacKenzie.
The court also heard from the school’s head teacher and staff from the social subjects department.
The school’s head teacher told the court how an internal investigation had been launched at the school after allegations against MacKenzie came to light.
She said: “After the report had been compiled, one of the young girls had made a complaint to the police.
“The situation when that happens is that there is no further action when proceedings are being taken by police.”
A classroom assistant who had worked with MacKenzie also gave evidence to the court.
When asked whether she had any misgivings about his conduct, she said: “No. When I was there he acted appropriate and professional.”
MacKenzie denied the charges and defence lawyer Dale Hughes argued that the children had “conspired against him.”
However, the jury found MacKenzie guilty of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl on various occasions between August 2017 and March 2018, by repeatedly touching her over her clothing.
On a second charge, MacKenzie was convicted of sexually assaulting another female pupil, aged 12, between January and March 2018 including touching her ear with his mouth and inserting his finger in her mouth.
A third charge of sexual assault against another first-year pupil was found not proven by the jury.
MacKenzie will be placed on the sex offenders’ register and will be sentenced next month.
