A Scottish female church youth leader has been found guilty of inappropriately touching a minor.

After a five-day trial in Aberdeenshire, Laura Middleton has been added to the sex offenders register and is awaiting sentencing.

The  nurse would hold the 14-year-old boy’s hands as they walked the streets and sexually stroke his thighs.

Banff Sheriff Court heard that the family highly trusted Middleton regularly inviting her to their home, and she even went on holiday with them. It was during this time that they began to notice the relationship between her and the boy intensifying.

Giving evidence in the trial, the teenager’s sister said suspicions started to arise when Middleton would sit on the sofa with him to watch Strictly Come Dancing like “boyfriend and girlfriend.”

 “She would be leaning against him with her head on his shoulders, pressing into his side,” she said. “He might have his arm around her shoulders and a blanket over them while they were watching TV.”

She added: “They were too close. They were always together. I felt like a third wheel. They were more touchy-feely than I was with my boyfriend.”

During his video link testimony, the boy said Middleton had repeatedly stroked his thighs, leading him to become sexually aroused.

According to the boy’s father, the family was told to “back off” when they raised concerns with the church’s leadership.

“They implied that my son was lying,” he said. “But they had no safeguarding policy in place.” He then alerted the police.

Speaking during the trial, Middleton claimed she did not recall caressing the boy’s thighs. “I maybe put my hand on his knee in a reassuring gesture,” she said.

Middleton denied the charges, tearfully claiming the boy’s parents coerced them into lying.

Sheriff Eric Brown described her as an untrustworthy witness.

An assessment is currently being conducted to determine whether she is eligible for house arrest.