Former teacher abused pupils 40 years ago

A 90-year-old is facing the threat of a third prison term after Operation Yewtree prompted a schoolboy victim of sexual abuse from more than 40 years ago to come forward. Retired teacher John Pringle was accused of indecent assaults on two schoolboys at a caravan at Arrochar in Scotland between April 1972 and January 1974. Although deemed unfit to stand trial, after an examination of facts at the High Court in Glasgow Judge John Morris QC determined that Pringle, from Mull, had carried out the offences on a camping trip. One of Pringle’s victims, who was 14 at the time, told of how he would be plied with alcohol and then, when half drowsy, abused. The other victim, who was 13 at the time, said Pringle gave him drink and also showed him pornographic magazines before indecently assaulting him. Prosecutor 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.” Pringle, who was a French teacher at Bishopbriggs Academy, took boys away on camping 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. Pringle has two convictions for similar incidents. He was jailed 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, Dunbartonshire, between 1979 and 1981 when they 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.