Former teacher sentenced for assaulting children in the Borders

• Reporter Jennifer Cordingley reports from Edinburgh.

A former teacher who abused children in the Borders has been sentenced at the Sheriff's Court in Edinburgh.

Linda McCall was sentenced to undertake 150 hours of unpaid work.

The 60-year-old was convicted in May of physically assaulting five children, aged between five and seven, between August 2016 and October 2017.

She was also found guilty of one charge of threatening and abusive behaviour.

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Parents of children abused by McCall were present in court and said they were disappointed by the outcome.

One parent told ITV Border: "This outcome is shocking and does not represent the abuse our children had to endure.  We are all very upset and disappointed.

"We wanted her to go to prison and she has basically walked away with a slap on the wrist.  

"Justice has not been done and our children have been let down.'

Scottish Borders Council says an independent inquiry will be held into how complaints about her behaviour were handled at the time.