Primary school teacher banned from classroom after online chats with undercover cop
A supply teacher who sent vile sexual messages about children was arrested in an undercover police sting, a disciplinary tribunal heard.
Julian Barker, 50, has now been banned from the classroom indefinitely. A Teaching Regulation Agency panel heard he was working as a supply teacher at Pikes Lane Primary School in Deane, Bolton, when using the handles 'Funchats' and 'Martindad' he began chatting on messaging platforms Skype and ChatIW.
He spoke with an adult who said they had 'access to children'.
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But in fact the person he was talking to was an undercover police officer. The conversation 'became sexual in content', the tribunal heard.
In a partly redacted section of the TRA report it is also said Barker described 'engaging in sexual activity', although no further details are given. He was arrested on April 12, 2023.
When police seized his mobile phone they found more 'sexualised messages' he had exchanged with other people online, including 'another user removing the child's clothing, appearing before the child naked and using their tongue to 'tickle' the child'.
At Manchester magistrates' court on November 1, 2023, Barker pleaded guilty to publishing an obscene article, the TRA report says. He was sentenced to 60 hours community service with a requirement to do rehabilitation activity and was ordered to pay £199 costs.
At the TRA hearing Barker admitted he had engaged in inappropriate online behaviour that was sexual in nature and centred around children. The panel heard Barker shared images of a child he had 'obtained from a website' and shared messages that were 'inherently sexual'.
The panel ruled Barker was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct likely to bring the profession into disrepute. Although the crime took place outside of school, the panel said it 'connects directly to the conduct expected of those within the teaching profession and the standards which they are expected to uphold'.
They wrote: "Given the significance of these findings, and the fact that the behaviour concerned sexualised communication, which was centred around children, the panel was satisfied that the conduct directly related to the teaching environment. The panel noted it was of particular significance that Mr Barker's conduct occurred at the time that he was a supply teacher within a primary school.
"It therefore determined that Mr Barker's actions could directly impact upon his teaching role."
Decision maker Marc Cavey banned Barker from the classroom indefinitely and ruled he is not entitled to apply to be reinstated. Barker has the right to appeal to the High Court within 28 days of the decision being made.
A spokesperson for Pikes Lane Primary School told the Bolton Evening News: "Julian Barker worked at Pikes Lane Primary School as a supply teacher between September 2022 and March 2023. All necessary statutory safeguarding checks were completed by the supplier, and these were verified by the school.
"There were no allegations of misconduct whilst he was at the school. The school acted immediately to safeguard pupils when it first became aware of the allegations and Julian Barker subsequently did not return to Pikes Lane."
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