Latest news with #inappropriatebehavior
BBC News
18-07-2025
- BBC News
Oxfordshire teacher banned for sexually inappropriate behaviour
A teacher has been indefinitely banned from the profession, after his behaviour was judged to be that of someone "in the early stages of pursuing inappropriate sexual relationships with pupils".Karl Smith had been head of computing at The Warriner School, in Bloxham, when the inappropriate behaviour took place.A Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel found Mr Smith privately messaged a female student outside of school, whilst also hugging her and another student during separate was also found that the former teacher had told another female student that it was "good it's non-school uniform-day" as people could "see how beautiful you really are". Concerns were first raised by a pupil about Mr Smith in November 2022, with the school launching an investigation and suspending the teacher - before referring the case to the TRA.A TRA panel found Mr Smith had established a private messaging channel and shared his personal contact details with a female pupil he knew to be the messages, the then-teacher referenced his "dashing good looks", said he was "pretty damn lonely", and told the pupil: "Maybe I'm just a sucker for a pretty face."He later told the student to delete the messages exchanged between the pair. Mr Smith was also found to have called a pupil "beautiful" in a separate incident - which the student told the school investigation had been "creepy and more than a normal compliment to come from a teacher".The TRA panel's judgement found that Mr Smith's actions "had many of the hallmarks of someone in the early stages of pursuing inappropriate sexual relationships with pupils".In prohibiting him from teaching in England, the judgement said: "The panel considered Mr Smith's conduct was not minor in nature, or a mere temporary lapse. It was a sustained course of action."The former-teacher, in a statement to the panel, said: "Even though I was not in my right mind at the time, it was still wrong and should never had happened." "I deeply regret my part in all of this, not just because it has destroyed me mentally, but because of the impact that my actions have had on the young people affected."In a statement, The Warriner School said it "takes all safeguarding extremely seriously, with the safety of our students our priority"."As soon as this was brought to our attention, we took swift action, seeking and following the advice of the Local Authority Designated Officer for Safeguarding and the police," the school said, adding that it had engaged with the TRA process "throughout". You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Gregg Wallace: MasterChef report upholds 45 claims against TV presenter
A report into BBC show MasterChef has found 45 allegations against Gregg Wallace were upheld including one of unwelcome physical contact and another of being in a state of total, the report says 83 allegations were made against the TV presenter, with the majority of the substantiated claims relating to inappropriate sexual language and humour, but also culturally insensitive and racist inquiry, conducted by an independent law firm, was ordered by MasterChef's production company Banijay in the wake of a BBC News investigation which first revealed claims of inappropriate sexual comments against of the report's release, Wallace insisted it had cleared him of "the most serious and sensational allegations". Last week, it emerged that he had been sacked as presenter of the cooking show, as dozens more people came forward to BBC News with fresh claims against him.A decision has not yet been made about unseen series of MasterChef which was filmed last report also says that ten standalone allegations were made against other people, two of which were of those substantiated allegations , which did not involve Wallace, relate to inappropriate language, one of swearing and one of racist investigation team also found evidence that between 2005 and 2024, six complaints were raised with the production company and six with the Holland, chief executive of Banijay UK, said in earlier years, "it is clear that escalation procedures were not as robust as they should have been"."We are extremely sorry to anyone who has been impacted by this behaviour and felt unable to speak up at the time or that their complaint was not adequately addressed," he added.A BBC statement said: "Although the full extent of these issues were not known at the relevant time, opportunities were missed to address this behaviour – both by the production companies running MasterChef and the BBC."We accept more could and should have been done sooner."The BBC said it apologised to "everyone who has been impacted by Mr Wallace's behaviour", and confirmed it has no plans to work with the presenter in Wallace has been contacted for comment.
News.com.au
14-07-2025
- Science
- News.com.au
University of Melbourne forced to rehire professor Stephan Matthai who was sacked after ‘highly inappropriate' messages
A professor who was fired after he sent 'highly inappropriate' messages to a student at a top Australian university has been given his position back by the Fair Work Commission. University of Melbourne engineering professor Stephan Matthai was dismissed in December 2024 for a series of incidents in 2017 and 2018 in which he sent 'numerous intimate texts and emails' to a PhD student that he was supervising. The student went on to tell Dr Matthai that she loved him, which he did not reciprocate, however, the intimate messaging continued. The student later told another professor that she no longer wanted Dr Matthai as her supervisor and was reassigned without making a formal complaint. In January 2024, she contacted the university and alleged that Dr Matthai had sexually harassed her. The university investigated the matter and found there was no basis for the sexual harassment allegation, but Dr Matthai's messages were 'highly inappropriate'. In one interaction, Dr Matthai and the student discussed body types, and he sent a photo of himself in boxers – at the time he said it was to demonstrate that he was an ectomorph or skinny person. The student responded by asking: 'Can I love you German professor?' Dr Matthai replied: 'You do not need my permission, do you?' He told the university's external investigator that he sent the picture as he was feeling 'unworthy and abandoned' and needed some 'positive feedback'. The University of Melbourne considered the behaviour to be serious misconduct and dismissed the professor. While the Fair Work decision found that it was 'clear' that Dr Matthai's messages were inappropriate, it considered whether they were a valid reason for dismissal years after the offending. 'Nevertheless, I consider that it was harsh to dismiss Dr Matthai for misconduct that had occurred so long ago, in circumstances where he had maintained an unblemished record over the following seven years of his employment,' Deputy President Alan Colman found. 'In my view, the dismissal was unfair, and the appropriate remedy is for Dr Matthai to be reinstated.' The commission found that while Dr Matthai was not pursuing a romantic relationship with the student, he was going through a 'difficult' break-up with his then partner and wanted his 'close relationship' with the student to continue. 'Not everyone is willing to listen to the sorrows of the broken-hearted,' Mr Colman wrote in his decision. The university was instructed to reinstate Dr Matthai to his position immediately and pay him more than $28,000 for lost income during his period of dismissal. The Fair Work Commission orders, handed down on Monday, July 7, made clear the reinstatement must happen within 14 days. In a statement, the University of Melbourne said it was considering an appeal of the ruling, with a spokesperson saying the university was 'disappointed' in the decision. 'The university is considering its options to appeal the decision and will not comment further on this matter at this time,' they said.
CTV News
09-07-2025
- CTV News
Former Springbank high school teacher facing child pornography charges
Timothy Bailey, 49, is seen in a Springbank Community High School yearbook photo. (Supplied) A former teacher from Springbank Community High School is facing more charges. Timothy Bailey, 49, of Calgary, was charged with child luring, making sexually explicit material available to a child and sexual exploitation in January after a female student reported 'inappropriate behaviour.' On Wednesday, Cochrane RCMP announced that after further investigation, Bailey had been arrested and charged with two additional offences: accessing child pornography and possession of child pornography. He has been released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 9. RCMP say Bailey is no longer a teacher with Rocky View Schools.
BBC News
18-06-2025
- BBC News
Former Essex PC had sex with colleague in police station
A former constable who had sex with a colleague in rooms at a police station committed was found to have committed gross misconduct. Ex PC Keith Gazzard, from Essex Police roads policing unit, would have been sacked if he had not resigned, a misconduct hearing found. The accusations, including instigating an inappropriate relationship, failing to declare that relationship, sexual activity at work and while on duty, were all proven. Assistant Chief Officer Fiona Henderson said: "Former PC Gazzard exploited his position as a respected and long serving officer and it will have taken huge courage for PC A to come forward." The hearing took place at Chelmsford Civic Centre in May. It heard the behaviour came to light when the former officer was accused of inappropriate behaviour towards a female colleague, PC panel heard PC Gazzard had been a police officer for about 22 years at the time and was based at South Woodham Ferrers Police Station. It also heard PC A, who was a special constable, felt she could not say no to PC Gazzard. She felt if she spoke to anyone about the relationship, she would be punished and it would hinder her panel noted the "obvious disparity in length of service and experience between the two officers". 'Huge courage' It heard about a number of incidents, including sexual relations in various rooms at South Woodham Ferrers Police Station between 2021 and 2022. PC Gazzard also once drove to PC A's home address, while in uniform and on duty, for last had sexual relations at a hotel room in London in May 2023, when PC Gazzard was again on panel ruled the former police officer, who did not attend the hearing, had breached the professional standards of behaviour relating to duties and responsibilities, authority, respect, and courtesy, and discreditable determined the actions amounted to gross misconduct and he would have been dismissed if he had not already resigned. Assistant Chief Officer Fiona Henderson, who chaired the panel, praised PC A for reporting her colleague's actions. "Former PC Gazzard exploited his position as a respected and long serving officer and it will have taken huge courage for PC A to come forward," she said. "Our colleagues should be able to go about their work protecting our neighbourhoods, keeping the public safe, and securing justice for victims of crime, without being worried about being harassed." Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
