Maths teacher arrived at school three times over the limit in wrecked car after - crashing into colleague on way to work
A maths teacher arrived at school in a wrecked car after crashing into her colleague on her way while three times over the drink driving limit.
Siobhan Clarke's vehicle had a cracked windscreen and deflated airbags after she crashed into the back of a colleague's vehicle before abruptly leaving the scene, a teacher misconduct panel heard.
In the moments after the crash Clarke pulled out her bank card thinking it was her phone, before driving her 'crumpled' car onto site at The Priory Academy in Lincoln, the Teaching Regulation Agency panel heard.
When the incident was reported to the headteacher, she was found in a classroom smelling of alcohol and 'very muddled'.
She was arrested at the school after police found her to be over the legal drink-drive limit, the hearing was told.
Mrs Clarke was employed as a maths teacher at the school from September 2014, having previously worked there as a learning assistant, the panel heard.
The teacher admitted that on her way to work at the school in January 2023, she was involved in a crash, left the scene of the accident and drove her damaged car onto the school's site.
The 'disorientated' Mrs Clarke then walked from her parked car 'with the intention of taking her normal class' and went to her classroom to teach, the panel was told.
The colleague she crashed into said they had been stopped at traffic lights at a pedestrian crossing.
As the lights turned green, a car 'hit the rear of their vehicle', the hearing was told.
'They recognised the driver as a teacher at the school at which they also worked,' the panel heard.
The colleague did not think Mrs Clarke would be able to drive her car away because it was 'very crumpled and ... the air bags had gone off,' the hearing was told.
The maths teacher 'rummaged in her handbag for her phone but instead pulled out her bank card', the panel heard.
Mrs Clarke 'appeared very confused, she kept repeating herself and wasn't finishing her sentences. I would describe her as incoherent,' the colleague told the panel, adding: 'As she was talking she was slurring her words.'
After the incident was reported, the school's headteacher went to look for Mrs Clarke and found her in the maths department, the panel was told.
The headteacher decided to call the police because they could smell alcohol and said she 'seemed very muddled', the panel heard.
The teacher was breathalysed at the school, and found to be around three times over the legal limit.
She was arrested and taken to the police station where she failed to provide a breath sample.
Mrs Clarke was later convicted following a guilty plea to a charge of failing to provide specimen for analysis, contrary to Section 7(6) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and Schedule 2 to the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988.
She was disqualified from driving for 12 months, fined £333 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge and costs, the hearing was told.
When school staff went to look at her car they saw 'both airbags, deflated, the windscreen was cracked and there was damage to the front', the panel heard.
She resigned from the school the same month, telling the panel she was 'immensely sorry' for her actions.
David Oatley, on behalf of the Secretary of State, agreed with the panel's recommendation that it had been 'a one-off incident', and drew short of banning Mrs Clarke from teaching.
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