Ex- teacher, 90, abused schoolboys on camping trip

● Offences committed between 1972- 74 ● Victims were plied with alcohol

A judge has ruled that a 90 - year- old teacher sexually abused two schoolboys more than 40 years ago.

After an examination of facts at the High Court in Glasgow, judge John Morris QC determined that John Pringle, from Mull, had carried out the in decent assault son a camping trip.

The offences were committed at a caravan at Arrochar between April 1972 and January 1974.

Pringle, who is deemed unfit to stand trial, was not in court for the hearing.

Judge Morris heard the evidence with no jury present and decided that there were no reasonable grounds to acquit Pringle.

One of Pringle’s victims, who was 14 at the time, told of how he would be plied with alco - hol and then when he was half drowsy he would be abused.

The other victim, who was 13 at the time, said that Pringle gave him drink and also showed him porno graphic magazines before indecently assaulting him.

Prose cut or Kath Harper said :“One of the victims came forward because the abuse had been playing on his mind, the other came forward because of the Jimmy Savile revelations.

“The two men came forward independently within a fortnight of each other .”

The court heard that Pringle, who was a French teacher at Bishopbriggs Academy, took boys away on outward bound courses.

Judge Morris said after hearing evidence: “I find the facts have been established. The witnesses were credible and reliable.”

He deferred sentence on Pringle until next month at the High Court in Edinburgh.

The court heard that Pringle has two convictions for similar incidents.

He wasjailed at the High Court in 2008 for sexually abusing boys.

The offences were carried out after he lured three teenage boys to his caravan at Arrochar, tonshire, between 1979 and 1981 when the boys were aged 13 and 14.

Pringle was also sentenced to 12 months in prison at Dumbarton Sheriff Court in 2010 after being convicted of sexually abusing teenage boys at Arrochar.