A former Saugus High School substitute teacher appeared in court Monday for charges of allegedly sexually assaulting one of his female students over two months, officials said.

David Cornish, 28, was charged in May with five counts each of lewd act upon a child, sexual penetration of a person under the age of 18, oral copulation of a person under the age of 16, and one count each of meeting a minor for lewd purposes, contact with a minor for a sexual offense and distributing or showing child pornography to a minor, according to Greg Risling, spokesperson for the office.

On June 22, Cornish pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to District Attorney Jackie Lacey.

Over two months, the defendant is accused of having an unlawful sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl he taught at Saugus High School. Cornish was arrested Wednesday, May 27 after the victim reported the relationship to investigators.

On May 26, investigators from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Victims Bureau began investigating the circumstances involving an unlawful sexual relationship between a substitute teacher and his female student between the months of April and May 2020.

The victim disclosed to investigators that she had been involved in a sexual relationship with her substitute teacher, Cornish, according to Deputy Grace Medrano.

See Related: Saugus High School Long Term Substitute Teacher Arrested For Oral Copulation With A Minor

The William S. Hart Union School District is “deeply concerned that one of our substitute teachers, David Cornish, was arrested and is expected to be charged with engaging in sexual misconduct with a Saugus High School minor student,” said a district spokesperson in a statement.

“The district strives to provide a safe educational environment for all of our students, and we are saddened and disturbed that one of our substitute teachers is being charged with this misconduct,” Hart district officials said.

The Hart District immediately suspended Cornish upon learning of the allegations, according to the spokesperson.

Pursuant to California law, upon receipt of a copy of the formal charge additional action will be taken, including possible immediate termination, and the matter will be reported to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

If convicted as charged, the defendant faces a possible maximum sentence of 16 years and six months in state prison.

The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Victims Bureau.

Cornish is set to return to court on Oct. 8 for a preliminary setting.

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