An East Kilbride teacher accused of grooming and sexually abusing two schoolboys has been struck off and branded a "danger to the public".
Disgraced Ronald Burton, a maths teacher and former assistant principal teacher, was jailed for six year's at Glasgow's High Court in 2016 after being found guilty of attacking the children at two secondary schools in East Kilbride more than 20 years apart.
But after spending just eight months behind bars, the 66-year-old was released after having his conviction was quashed by the Court of Session in Edinburgh following an appeal.
The trial judge was found to have made an error during the proceedings meaning the ex-maths teacher’s conviction was thrown out.
His release was branded ‘sickening’ by one of his accusers who came forward and reported the alleged abuse - which reportedly took place in the 90s - to police.
But following a General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) investigation this week, the panel concluded that shamed Burton is unfit to teach.
Convenor Alison Reid said: "We find he is currently impaired, unfit to teach and the outcome is that the teacher is found guilty of misconduct and unfit to teach."
Gary Burton, the presenting officer for the GTCS, concluded that Burton's "reprehensible" behaviour fell "significantly short" of teaching standards, adding that the allegations were at the "top end" in terms of seriousness.
The panel heard the two alleged victims, Pupil A - aged between 11 and 14 years old - and Pupil B - aged between 12 and 13 years old - were vulnerable and subjected to "sustained attacks" over a prolonged period of time, "increasing in seriousness" over time.
Mr Burton added: "The teacher has not engaged in the process, nor shown any insight or remorse for his actions.
"The teacher is a continued danger to the public and the risk of repetition, if he was not found unfit to teach, is high.
"By acting in the way that he did, his actions are fundamentally incompatible with teaching and had a significant physical and emotional impact."
Burton was arrested in 2014 after being confronted by his first alleged victim, now a father-of-three.
The court heard the man battled drug addiction before reporting the matter to police.
Burton was fired by South Lanarkshire Council when the allegations first arose.
He maintained his innocence throughout the week-long trial that his alleged victims were forced to endure.
The Crown relied on the operation of the Moorov doctrine for conviction.
The principle means that a number of offences witnessed by only one person can be grouped together to show a pattern of behaviour and could be used in a court case.
But on appeal, Lady Dorrian highlighted that the temporal gap between the offences, at its shortest, was just under 17 years, which led to Burton's release.
Condemning the decision to quash his conviction, the family of one of the accusers sent a statement to the East Kilbride News at the time.
In it, they said: “We do not feel let down by the police or the judiciary but by the law itself.”
Lanarkshire Live understands there is no chance of a retrial.
Alleged abuse against Pupil A took place on various occasions between August 1, 1994 and February 1997.
It's claimed the accused made vile sexual remarks at the boy such as, "have you and your friends ever compared d**k sizes?" and "have you got a hard-on yet?” or words to that effect.
It is also claimed the teacher exposed his private parts in the boy's presence and touched him inappropriately.
Other allegations included the teacher gifting the pupil clothing, DVDs and alcohol, as well as pornographic material.
He also bought the boy a gym membership and took him to the gym.
Further allegations include giving the schoolboy massages in his bedroom at his home in Stewartfield and giving him a box of condoms.
Meanwhile, it's claimed Pupil B was subjected to sexual abuse over 15 years later - between August 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014.
The teacher allegedly told Pupil B he loved him, touched his private parts, allowed him to stay at his home and paid for his haircut.
In light of the allegations, it was concluded Burton is unfit to teach as a result of breaching the GTCS's code of professionalism and conduct.
His name will be removed from the register and it was recommended he be banned from applying again for the maximum period of two years given the seriousness of the allegations, lack of insight and remorse.
The panel will publish their final decision on how long Burton will be removed from the register in around 28 days.
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