A former Cumnock primary school teacher has been jailed for grooming a schoolgirl.

Manipulative Stuart Scott, 33, was banned from working with children having repeatedly sexually abusing a teenage girl a decade ago - after grooming her on Facebook.

The Chronicle previously reported how Scott apologised to the distraught woman, who is now 23, and her understandably incensed family as he was led from the dock in handcuffs.

He abused the girl from the age of 13 after meeting her through the youth football team he coached in the town.

Scott, who was 23 at the time, told the teen he loved her and would leave his wife for her.

But he had no intention of walking out on his partner, and was actually secretly abusing two other girls at the same time - being caged over that abuse in 2012.

It has since emerged he was stringing the third girl along, sexually abusing her on a regular basis after contacting her through Facebook and arranging to take her out in his car.

He admitted his guilt over his shameful antics with the third girl at Ayr Sheriff Court in January.

Sentence was deferred for background reports, and a risk assessment, to be carried out, to judge how much risk the public are at from the twice-convicted sex offender.

At the time, Scott’s lawyer expressed concern that the reports may not be prepared in time, as a risk assessment had been ordered, prompting Sheriff Desmond Leslie to say: “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

And, when Scott returned to the dock last month, it emerged the reports had not been prepared.

The case was adjourned until this month for the previously requested reports to be made available and, as Scott was being led away, he engaged with the victim and her family, who now have to wait a further three weeks to see justice being done.

He said, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry” and shook his head, while the woman and her family left the court room.

In January, the court heard that, the first time he picked the girl up in his car, he stopped in a secluded country lane - with them going on to have sex and perform sex acts on each other.

They also sent each other intimate pictures and videos and had video calls where they performed sex acts on themselves.

Scott, of Galston, would contact her after their sessions to give her feedback on how they could improve.

And the twisted teacher managed to keep their relationship a secret - despite being arrested, prosecuted and jailed for abusing the two other young girls at the same time - by telling his victim to delete all the messages between them and keep their trysts to herself.

He pleaded guilty to six charges, in exchange for seven others being dropped by prosecutors.

Procurator Fiscal Depute Karen McGregor said Scott, who worked as a primary school teacher at the time, had met the girl as she was the sister of a boy he coached at a youth football team in Cumnock at the time - May 2010.

He added her on Facebook, messaged her to say she was braw, and arranged their first meeting.

After stopping in a secluded lay by, he told her she was good looking and asked to kiss her - and she agreed.

They then performed sex acts on each other in the front of the car before moving to the rear of the vehicle where they had sex - before he dropped her off.

Their relationship continued until 2012, with them regularly meeting up to have sex, and he would also get her to send him pictures and videos of her performing sex acts on herself.

He told her what to do to make them better and they also had explicit video calls, which made her feel embarrassed.

But she went along with the abuse because she wanted to please him as he made her feel grown up, and was worried he’d leave her for someone else if she didn’t.

He also told her he was going to leave his girlfriend, who is now his ex-wife, and said he loved her and wanted to tell people that when she turned 18.

He convinced her to delete everything and keep their relationship a secret and, in 2012, he was caged over similar offences towards other young girls, aged 12 and 13.

But after being released from prison he got back in contact with her and they rekindled their relationship, regularly meeting up in his car and kissing, with him saying he wanted to be with her.

She later told her mother, and her mother’s friend, she had been in a relationship with Scott for three years from the age of 13, and the matter was reported to police, leading to the prosecution against him.

Scott has been placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for ten years and jailed for 23 months, reduced from 30.

A National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children Scotland spokesperson said: “As a teacher and a football coach, Scott would have been acutely aware of children’s vulnerability and should have been someone who protected them. But instead, he seemed only concerned with his own twisted desires towards the girls, who he groomed and sexually abused.

“The woman in this case has shown huge bravery by speaking out and Scott’s convictions show that no matter how much time has passed, survivors of abuse will be listened to and justice can be achieved.

“Child sexual abuse can have a devastating and long-lasting impact and it is vital this woman now receives the support she needs.”

Anyone concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000, while Childline is there for young people on 0800 1111 or via www.childline.org.uk