A teaching assistant accused of putting a special needs pupil in headlock is to stand trial.

Audrey MacGilvray is alleged to have assaulted the child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, at a school in Dundee.

The 48-year-old, who has since been dismissed from her job, is accused of kicking the pupil, dragging him across the floor and grabbing his body.

She is further alleged to have attempted to pull the pupil from the floor and placed him in a headlock to his injury.

MacGilvray, of Byron Street, Dundee, denied a charge of assault to injury on summary complaint during a pre-trial hearing at Dundee Sheriff Court.

The incident is alleged to have taken place on October 27 last year.

Defence solicitor Theo Finlay said: "She was an assistant at the school and this is said to have happened in the course of her duties.

"We have been provided with the guidelines on the use of physical intervention with pupils there and may need to instruct an expert on that.

"She has been dismissed from this employment."

Sheriff Derek Livingstone set a trial date in September and ordered MacGilvray to attend a pre-trial hearing in August.