A Scots teacher has admitted having sexual relations with an S6 pupil - but claims he is still fit to teach.
Ross Spittal, a former teacher in West Lothian, had sex with the pupil at his home on at least two occasions.
The 31-year-old maths teacher, from Bishopton in Renfrewshire, began a romantic relationship with the teenager - believed to be 18 at the time - in 2019.
The relationship was outed when Ross' girlfriend at the time, Kim Smyth, found over 800 emails between the pair on the couple's shared computer.
At a hearing in front of the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) today, Smyth, 32, revealed that she found the messages on pupil teacher portal, Glow.
Smyth was tearful as she recounted the moment she found out about the affair and discovered images of the schoolgirl that were sent to Spittal.
Spittal admitted the relationship but said he believes he should still be allowed to teach.
Referring to the former schoolgirl, Smyth said: "I was aware of Pupil A for years.
"It was a running joke in the school that she fancied Ross.
"It was surprising for pupils to have a crush on him, but I didn't think he would act on it.
"I saw that he was searching for Pupil A on Facebook.
"He said he was feeling low about teaching and he was looking for nice messages pupils wrote about him on Facebook.
"He was messaging the pupil using Glow at late times.
"The chat and banter you'd expect with a friend. We were friendly with a lot of Ross's colleagues.
"We would go on nights out and we went to some of their weddings. They would tell me he was well liked by pupils, especially Pupil A.
"He always brushed it off."
Smyth added: "One Saturday night at about 2am, me and Ross were sitting in drinking and he kept looking at his phone.
"He was messaging Pupil A on Glow. I thought it was extremely odd behaviour.
"The day I came across the emails on our laptop, a message popped up at the bottom of the screen, she was emailing him.
"When I opened the conversation it was happening there and then, they were planning on meeting up.
"On May 22, 2019 I discussed a number of emails between him and Pupil A.
"I found 800 emails between the two dating back to early 2019.
"There were pictures of Pupil A. I was literally seeing photos of her as I was speaking to him on the phone. He asked me not to tell the police or the school."
Smyth told the council one email read: "Kim is at work, you can come over."
On not phoning the police, she said: "It's something I regret now.
"I was in complete shock and I was heartbroken. It was in his hands to say what he had done."
Police Scotland found that no criminality had occurred after the relationship was later reported to them.
At the time, Smyth had been in a relationship with Spittal for five years and they had been living together for three.
Spittal's legal rep Claire Raftery said her client admits all allegations brought to him by the GTCS.
He admitted kissing the sixth year pupil after an Easter school session in April 2019.
He also had sexual relations with the same girl at his home in April 2019.
In May 2019, Spittal told the school's head teacher that there was "nothing going on at all" between himself and the pupil while the pupil was at school.
The Head Teacher of the school was called as a witness.
She said in her statement: "In January, Pupil A submitted a yearbook entry about herself.
"It said: 'I can see myself teaching maths at Inveralmond next door to Mr Spittal so I can be next to him everyday."
Concerns were raised about Pupil A supporting Spittal's maths class, and although nothing was found to be untoward, the Head said: "I felt it appropriate to speak to Mr Spittal about professional boundaries.
"Pupil A was no longer allowed to support his class."
She recanted a teacher spotting Pupil A in Spittal's classroom alone: "Pupil A was in Mr Spittal's classroom and it made them feel uncomfortable.
"Pupil A or Mr Spittal were never told that she couldn't go in his classroom.
"He said it was nothing more than a pupil to teacher conversation.
"I suggested that he did not go to the prom and distanced himself."
The head spoke of when Spittal came clean to her about the nature of his relationship with Pupil A on 23rd May 2019.
She said: "Ross told me that he had let me down.
"He was shaking the whole way through the meeting.
"He said that nothing had happened whilst she was in school.
"He told me that he kissed her on 10th April 2019 after a Easter school session.
"He said he could not remember who initiated it.
"He said that they had had sex twice."
Describing a meeting with Pupil A's mother, she said: "Pupil A's mum thought that whilst he may have made a mistake, it shouldn't impact him getting a job."
She also stated: "I was not aware of the standing joke (that pupil A 'fancied' Spittal) and if I was, it would have been thoroughly investigated."
She spoke about why she did not take anything further after looking into the relationship: "I had to take my teacher's word for it.
"There was no evidence of anything other than Pupil A liking him and/or admiring him."
She spoke about how she felt when Spittal came clean: "A whole mixture of emotions; disappointed and complete shock.
"It was a surprising and difficult conversation."
She was then asked if she would ever employ him in the future, stating: "I wouldn't offer him a job in my school again."
Describing the Glow system that the school uses, the Head said: "Teachers wouldn't be allowed to contact pupils outside the Glow system for the pupil's and teacher's safety.
"It is made very clear not to contact pupils by personal email.
"I would expect them to maintain the professional standards. I think it is pretty clear what we expect teachers to do.
"You wouldn't use emojis, it would be about school work.
"That wouldn't be appropriate.
"I would expect if the teachers felt a pupil was messaging inappropriately that they would get in contact with me."
On the evidence given by Kim Smyth relating to the time she met Pupil A face to face, the Head said: "I have no recollection of that.
"I would have taken that seriously. Along the way we were looking into things, but I was not aware of that."
Today, Spittal admitted to being dishonest about the relationship.
It is believed that Spittal is still in a relationship with the former pupil.
The hearing will hear Ross Spittal's defence on 7 February.
The GTCS investigation will determine whether Spittal should remain on the teaching register and be allowed back in the classroom.
The hearing continues.
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