Latest news with #BrookfieldCommunitySchool
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Yahoo
Drink drive teacher crashed into tree on way to work
A science teacher drank half a bottle of wine before school and then crashed his car into a tree, a professional conduct panel heard. John Lees, who was a teacher at Brookfield Community School in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, was almost double the drink drive limit when he was breathalysed after the crash. The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) has now published a professional conduct report, which says Lees had admitted a charge of drink driving at Chesterfield Magistrates' Court in 2023. But it decided not to impose a prohibition order - which would have prevented him teaching - saying it was satisfied it was a "one-off event" and Lees was remorseful. The panel heard Lees drank wine in the morning before he set off to work. After the crash on 16 January 2023, a breath test found he had 61 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms. He pleaded guilty to drink-driving and was disqualified from driving for 17 months and was fined. The TRA report, published in March, said his actions "could affect public confidence in the teaching profession, given the influence teachers may have on pupils, parents and others in the community". It added: "Had Mr Lees made it into the school on the day of the incident, he would have been under the influence of alcohol. "Mr Lees commented that as a parent he would not be comfortable if his children were being taught by someone who taught whilst under the influence of alcohol. "The panel felt that this admission demonstrated insight. The panel was satisfied that the incident was a one-off event." Lees told the panel he had been under stress at work, but did not tell his family and instead started "self-medicating with alcohol". He has since left the school, where he worked for 20 years, and took a temporary position at another school, which is not named in the report. His new employer provided references, which said he had acted professionally in his new role and had proved to be such an asset that he had since been offered a permanent position. The TRA recommended Lees should not be given a prohibition order, which would have prevented him from teaching. Chief executive Marc Cavey, who made the final decision on behalf of the secretary of state, agreed, saying a "repetition was unlikely". He wrote: "I consider that the publication of the findings made would be sufficient to send an appropriate message to the teacher as to the standards of behaviour that were not acceptable and that the publication would meet the public interest requirement of declaring proper standards of the profession." Both Brookfields Community School and Redhill Academy Trust, which runs the school, were contacted for comment. Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Teaching Regulation Agency
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Yahoo
Teacher crashed car into tree after ‘drinking half a bottle of wine' before school
A science teacher crashed his car into a tree after drinking half a bottle of wine before school. When he was breathalysed by police, John Lees was nearly double the legal limit, a Teaching Regulation Agency panel heard. He claimed he was 'under stress from work' and had been 'self-medicating with alcohol'. Despite being handed a 17-month driving ban, an independent panel ruled he can continue working as a teacher. The panel heard Mr Lees had been working at Brookfield Community School, Chesterfield, for nearly 20 years at the time of the crash. In January 2023, before driving to work that morning, 'he drank half a bottle of wine', the hearing was told. 'His car collided with a tree and he was breathalysed by the police.' He recorded a reading of 61 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the panel heard – the limit being 35 micrograms. He pleaded guilty to drink driving at Chesterfield magistrates' court the following month, where he was fined and disqualified from driving for 17 months, the hearing was told. He resigned in April 2023, but is now employed by a different school, which was not named by the panel. Defending his actions, the teacher told the panel he had been 'under stress from work' and had a difficult 'relationship with alcohol'. Mr Lees was 'apologetic', and has used the time since the incident to 'reflect on his actions', the panel decided. The teacher told the hearing he wanted to keep his difficulties at work to himself and from his family, and tried to manage the stress by 'self-medicating with alcohol'. A reference provided by his new school described him as an 'integral part of our teaching staff' and said there was 'no reason to suspect that he has been under the influence of alcohol'. A decision made on behalf of the Secretary of State concluded that a prohibition order was not necessary. 'I have placed considerable weight on the panel's comments concerning the extensive insight and remorse demonstrated by Mr Lees, which indicates that a repetition is unlikely,' the decision concluded. 'I have also noted his good history and the contribution he is currently making to the sector. I agree with the panel that a prohibition order is not proportionate or in the public interest.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
