A TEACHER who assaulted five vulnerable pupils at a Borders school has been ordered to carry out 150 hours unpaid work at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Sixty-year-old Linda McCall was found guilty after a trial in May at Selkirk Sheriff Court of the assaults on the children aged between five and seven between August 2016 and October 2017.

She was admonished on a sixth charge of threatening or abusive behaviour.

Sheriff Roderick Flinn told McCall that some physical handling of children with special needs was necessary.

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But he added that her conduct went beyond what was necessary or appropriate in the classroom situation.

He took into account she had now retired after a 38-year teaching career and that she was a first offender by imposing an alternative to custody.

The parents of the children – some of whom attended court – have accused Scottish Borders Council of a cover up after previously dismissing the allegations against McCall.

They are planning civil proceedings against the local authority.

An independent investigation into the council's handling of the case has been ordered by the council's new chief executive Netta Meadows and will be headed by Andrew Webster QC.