A Lanarkshire teacher who molested two schoolboys in a campaign of twisted sexual abuse is facing jail.
Carol Ann White, 39, abused both youngsters while employed at two different primary schools in the area.
A police investigation was launched when it was discovered White had been texting a 12-year-old boy during the first Covid-19 lockdown.
Phones belonging to the pair were analysed and a total of 1185 messages had been exchanged over a three-week period.
White, of Uddingston, asked the boy to touch himself intimately on FaceTime, sent revealing photos of herself and sent one photo captioned "Cockblock of the year goes to COVID-19".
In later interviews with police, the boy revealed he had been kissed 50 times by her on the lips during a school trip to an outdoor activity centre near Oban, Argyll.
He also said White had groped him while watching the film Titanic and had also forced his hand down the front of her trousers.
The probe also led police to an 11-year-old boy who said White had kissed him on the lips in a school store cupboard.
In a series of interviews with officers, the boy revealed White had held his head against her groin and rubbed him with her breasts.
White had denied two charges of engaging in sexual activity with the boys spanning between August 2018 and May 2020.
But jurors took just over an hour to find her guilty following a seven-day trial at Airdrie Sheriff Court.
After the verdict, it was revealed first offender White had earlier pled guilty to possessing eight indecent images of the 12-year-old boy.
A text sent by White to the boy after one image was sent read: "You clearly don't need me to help, someone else has must have made you horny."
In a video shown to jurors, the 12-year-old boy said: "Miss White said if you touch me I will touch you and then grabbed my hand and put it down her trousers. It happened once."
The 11-year-old boy told how he had been targeted after a discussion about White and her love for Celtic FC.
He said: "She was manipulative. I thought she was a good person who would do nothing wrong but you can't judge a book by its cover.
"We were talking about football because she is a big Celtic fan and the kiss just happened.
"For the last year I've felt like I had to protect her because I thought she was this nice person but she really wasn't.
"If you were Miss White's teacher's pet then she would favour you. It felt quite good. Looking back I feel disgusted."
In evidence, White broke down as she repeatedly denied the allegations against her.
She said: "My reaction is that they are absolutely not true, not any of it.
"I was a very hard working, nurturing, caring teacher for all children. I don't know why they would say this about me."
Prosecutors had urged jurors to convict White.
Depute fiscal Kevin Jarvis said: "By day she was a respectable teacher, by night she was discussing sexual innuendos with a 12-year-old pupil before reverting back to a respectable adult again.
"She was the master of deceit."
Following the verdict, Graham Robertson, defence advocate, said: "She has been convicted of the most serious of matters."
Sheriff Morag Shankland deferred sentence on White, who no longer works in education, until June for reports and continued bail.
White, who sobbed uncontrollably after the verdict, was also placed on the sex offenders' register.
The sheriff told jurors the case had been "difficult" and "distressing" and excused them from jury service for the next five years.
Commenting on the case, Derek Brown, deputy chief executive of North Lanarkshire Council, said: “This has been an appalling abuse of trust by someone who exploited her position and carried out a targeted, predatory campaign to betray two vulnerable children who should have felt safe and supported in her care.
“Our thoughts are with the young people affected and their families. They have shown immense courage and dignity by cooperating with the police investigation and we will continue to offer them our support.”
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