HUNDREDS of pupils at one of Scotland's top secondaries have called for bosses to suspend a boy accused of sexual assault.

Nearly 500 signatures have been added to a petition slamming an East Renfrewshire school for its handling of the situation.

Youngsters have launched an online campaign after their classmate was allowed back to school while a court case is ongoing.

The boy is accused of incidents that are alleged to have happened between December 1 and December 26, 2017.

Almost 500 people have signed the online petition which says the school’s “sexual harassment procedure is not effective in creating a safe environment for its students.”

It goes on: “A pupil accused of sexual assault has been allowed to continue to attend class, despite an ongoing court case and widespread discomfort amongst pupils.

“The school’s fifth year depute head was first notified of several cases of sexual harassment from the accused in 2016-17.

“Little action was taken at the time, and given that this case was allowed to escalate to sexual violence gives us little faith in the school’s sexual harassment procedures.

“We, as pupils, want to see not only the accused suspended from school until at least a court verdict."

A spokesman for the Crown Office said: “The Procurator Fiscal received a report concerning a male, in connection with alleged incidents said to have occurred between December 1 and December 26, 2017.”

A spokeswoman for East Renfrewshire Council said: “Safeguarding and protecting our pupils is our absolute focus at all times and we have taken all appropriate steps in relation to this matter in line with both our policies and legal obligations.

"As it is still a live investigation we are unable to comment further.”