A married teacher is being investigated by authorities after being found parked in a lay-by — with a teenage pupil.
Eppie Sprung-Dawson, 26, has been reported to prosecutors after officers surprised her in the car with the unnamed sixth-form boy after a school dance.
It is thought the pair were spotted by another pupil who called the police after seeing the pretty blonde pull in to the layby with her younger passenger after they left the function.
Both Sprung-Dawson and the boy have taken time off school since the incident on December 22, the day classes broke up for Christmas.
Education officials refused to confirm whether the teacher had been suspended.
A school insider said: “Everybody’s talking about this at the school and it’s all over Twitter and Facebook.
“Apparently they were returning from a dance on Saturday when they decided to pull in at a layby.
“The rumour is that another pupil spotted them and called police.
“Mrs Dawson has always been a popular member of staff and is very dedicated to her pupils.
“If this turns out to be true, she will most certainly lose her job.
“This is known as a respectable Roman Catholic school – now it’s at the centre of a massive pupil-teacher scandal.”
Sprung Dawson teaches English at St Joseph’s College, a Catholic comprehensive secondary in Dumfries, Scotland.
The school, which has around 800 pupils, was set up by members of the Marist teaching order of monks.
Sprung-Dawson, whose husband Ranald Dawson, 32, is also a teacher, has received positive reviews online from pupils on website www.ratemyteachers.com.
One youngster described her as a “complete legend”, adding: “She improved my English a lot and taught me good techniques and she made me read more. She tried to make her lessons as fun as possible.”
Another pupil classed her as one of “the best teachers EVER” and a third commented: “Miss Sprung is amazing! She was such a laugh at the panto. LOVE EE BABE!”
Only one pupil gave the disgraced woman a negative review writing “Two words: bad teacher.”
In Rate Your Teacher’s five-star points system, Sprung Dawson scores four in all categories – overall quality, easiness, helpfulness and clarity.
But the teacher has been an online talking point among her pupils for the wrong reasons since the layby incident emerged.
One pupil tweeted: “Well I’ve lost my English teacher due to a pupil.”
Sprung Dawson married Ranald – whose father, Lord Thomas Dawson, was a High Court judge – in a ceremony at Victoria Halls, Selkirk, Scotland, in April 2010.
The couple were not available for comment yesterday, but a source close to the Dawsons said: “As far as I was aware, they had a great marriage – this would be most out of character for Eppie.
“She and Ranald have always been dedicated to their careers and respected by their students.”
A full-scale investigation has been launched into the incident by police and council chiefs.
It is understood a trade union are also involved in the probe.
Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary confirmed that a 26-year-old woman had been reported to the procurator fiscal, adding: “It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”
A well-placed police source revealed yesterday: “This matter is being taken very seriously indeed.”
A spokeswoman for Dumfries and Galloway Council confirmed: “An investigation is ongoing.”
