Latest news with #teacher misconduct
BBC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Grimsby teacher Cheyne Phillips banned for sexual contact with ex-pupils
A teacher has been banned from the profession for life after a panel ruled on the "balance of probabilities" that he had sex with one former pupil and sent inappropriate messages to Phillips, 34, was a PE teacher at Healing Academy, a secondary school near Grimsby, at the time.A professional conduct panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency was told he denied the allegations and "a large amount of the factual assertions surrounding them".However, during a public hearing held between 6 and 9 May, the panel found Mr Phillips had exploited his position of trust by pursuing "highly inappropriate relationships and sexual misconduct with children". Mr Phillips had "spoken to and repeatedly and persistently corresponded via e-mail, Instagram and Snapchat" with the former pupils "in ways that were sexual and inappropriate", the panel one of the cases, this "ultimately led" to "repeated and serious sexual misconduct".Mr Phillips, who did not attend the hearing, worked at the academy from July 2016 to July a statement, the trust that runs the school said the allegations were "dealt with swiftly" and it had "complied fully" with an investigation. The panel heard allegations that Mr Phillips had developed inappropriate relationships with two former pupils, known as A and B, after they left the said his behaviour towards them had changed as they entered the final months of their time there. 'Ur a secret' Pupil A said Mr Phillips had followed her on Instagram after she left and started messaging her. The panel found that, on the balance of probabilities, he had made a number of comments of a sexual or inappropriate nature, sent at least one photograph of himself and requested images of had also attempted to meet her and, in one message, told her "ur a secret".Pupil B said Mr Phillips had winked at her in revision sessions towards the end of her time at school, before emailing "something flirty" after she had then exchanged messages on Instagram and Snapchat and he asked to meet panel stated that it was satisfied from the evidence that he had received at least one explicit photograph from her and asked, "am I going to make the first move, or are you?"It found, on the balance of probabilities, that Mr Phillips had kissed, had sex and engaged in other sexual activity with Pupil B. 'Breached trust' The panel found Mr Phillips' actions breached professional standards and safeguarding guidance that classifies children as everyone under the age of was "guilty of unacceptable professional conduct" that "may bring the profession into disrepute".There were "repeated breaches of trust" owed to the former pupils and the panel "had no doubt" that his actions had "harmed" them and "were having a serious and continued effect".The panel noted that Mr Phillips had stated that he did not feel he was in a position to properly respond to the allegations and did not intend to return to Sarah Buxcey confirmed an indefinite ban on behalf of the education a statement, Harbour Learning Trust, which runs the academy, said it was "committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all of our students and expects all our staff to share this unwavering commitment". "This incident was dealt with swiftly by the trust, under the previous CEO and head teacher, and the school and trust have complied fully with the investigation," the statement added."Harbour Learning Trust does not condone behaviour that compromises the well-being, trust, or safety of our students in any way."Humberside Police said it had received a report concerning "inappropriate conduct and relationships of a teacher". Following a "full and thorough investigation", no further action was taken. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE PE teacher who had sex with a pupil and sent flirtatious texts and selfies to another is pictured after being banned from the classroom
A super-fit PE teacher who had sex with a pupil and sent flirtatious texts and selfies to another has been banned from the classroom for life. Married Cheyne Phillips, 34, was Deputy Head of PE at Healing Science Academy, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, when he started the inappropriate relationships, a Teaching Regulation Agency disciplinary panel was told. The fitness fanatic, who competed in combat sports and ran marathons worked at the school between 6 July 2016 to 22 July 2022. In that period Phillips raised more than £6,000 for a seriously ill child by running a Yorkshire marathon. During that time he had regular sexual encounters with Pupil B, who also sent him 'nudes' and he flirted with Pupil A on Instagram asking 'how's the head game?' The panel heard that on 6 October 2021 Pupil A's mother made a complaint to the school after she saw messages from Phillips which she considered were sexual in nature. On 15 November 2021, Pupil B's mother reported that she had become aware that Pupil B, who had recently left the school, had been engaging in sexual activity with Phillips since July 2021. She reported that Pupil B had also received a number of messages from Mr Phillips that were sexual in nature. Humberside Police, the school and the Local Authority Designated Officer ('LADO') proceeded to investigate the allegations. The panel found Phillips: Followed Pupil A on Instagram Sent one or more photographs of himself to Pupil A Received photos and videos of Pupil A Made one or more comments of a sexual nature/innuendo and/or inappropriate nature towards Pupil A Told Pupil A,'ur a secret' The panel found Phillips engaged in an inappropriate relationship with Pupil A. Regarding Pupil B, the panel found Phillips: Communicated with her via email and/or Instagram and/or Snapchat; Winked at Pupil B on one or more occasions; Received one or more explicit photographs of Pupil B Stated to Pupil B 'your bum in that suit' Asked Pupil B 'am I going to make the first move, or are you?' Pupil B submitted that on 3 July 2021, Mr Phillips added her on Instagram and Pupil B followed him back. Pupil B indicated that afterwards they continued messaging on Instagram and their messages moved to Snapchat from July. Pupil B stated that when they had connected on Instagram Phillips started to message her and repeatedly tried to arrange to meet up. Phillips had flirtatiously complemented her on her leggings whilst she was walking a dog and later kissed her in a car park after he'd been meeting fellow teachers. On a later date Phillips parked near her house and she went to meet him, and they drove to the car park. The first thing he said to her was 'are you gonna make the first move or am I'. Pupil B stated that she did not know what to do and would not have initiated anything as she was young and naïve. Mr Phillips was persistently trying to meet up and Pupil B confirmed that they met up, in total, on five or so occasions. Pupil B stated that they would talk on Snapchat but also exchanged some explicit images. Pupil B explained that Phillips would request explicit images. Pupil B recalled specifically that she sent to him two pictures of herself in the shower naked and a video of her in the shower naked and touching herself intimately. She recalled she also sent him two images where, respectively, the bottom of her breasts and her thong were shown. She also recalls that Mr Phillips sent her a couple of images of him topless and wearing boxer shorts. Pupil B stated that shortly after this on another day Phillips had arranged to meet her and had collected her in his car. He had driven to the car park and he started kissing her and put his hand on her leg and started to rub it. She stated that he then moved his hand up and started to touch her private parts over her leggings and said to her 'next time you need to wear something looser. Pupil B stated that he then said to her 's**k me off', so she did, and after this he dropped her back home. Pupil B stated that she believed that she met up with Phillips five times in total, and stated that she had sex with him on two of those occasions, and the first three times they met up they did 'sexual things' but didn't have sex. She stated that they kissed, she performed a sex act on him, and he digitally penetrated her. The panel was satisfied that Phillips was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and prohibited from teaching indefinitely.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
B.C. teacher agrees to 15-year ban over sexual relationship with Grade 12 student
A B.C. teacher has agreed to the cancellation of his teaching certificate and a 15-year ban on applying for a new one after admitting to having a sexual relationship with a student. The office of B.C.'s Commissioner for Teacher Regulation published an anonymized summary of its consent agreement with the teacher on its website Tuesday. The document withholds the teacher's name and other key information in order to protect the identity of the student 'who was harmed, abused or exploited' in the case. It does not say where in B.C. the misconduct occurred, nor does it indicate the student's gender. According to the document, the teacher held a subject-restricted independent school teaching certificate and was employed as a secondary school teacher until August 2024. At that time, following a report from the school's principal to the commissioner, he signed an undertaking not to teach in any role requiring certification from the provincial Ministry of Education and Child Care. The consent agreement summary indicates the student – referred to as 'Student A' throughout – was one of the teacher's pupils. 'When Student A was in Grade 12, the teacher breached professional boundaries by allowing Student A to confide in him and become dependent on him,' the document reads, adding that the teacher made inappropriate physical contact by touching 'the back of Student A's bare knees' on several occasions. 'On the day Student A graduated from the school, the teacher kissed Student A,' the document continues. 'Student A told the teacher that they loved him. The teacher responded by saying that he loved Student A too.' The teacher also 'engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship' with the student 'around the time of Student A's graduation,' according to the document. It does not specify whether the relationship became sexual before or after the student graduated. According to the summary, the teacher admitted that this conduct constituted professional misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a teacher, and agreed to the certificate cancellation and teaching ban. The summary lists three factors that led the commissioner to conclude these sanctions were appropriate. First, the inappropriate relationship 'arose out of the teacher-student relationship.' Second, the teacher 'demonstrated a serious failure to maintain appropriate boundaries.' And third, the teacher 'engaged in conduct which damaged a student's emotional safety and well-being.'
Telegraph
25-05-2025
- Telegraph
Primary school teacher was found with two kitchen knives in bag
A primary school teacher has been struck off after police found two large kitchen knives in her bag. Lauren Jenkins, 39, was searched after police were called to a disturbance at a property in August 2022. A Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) misconduct panel heard she was arrested for an alleged assault but no further action was taken. Jenkins, who taught at the Merlin Top Primary Academy in Keighley, Yorkshire, later pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article in a public place and was given a 12-week suspended jail term. The court said she avoided prison because the knives were not brandished and were found only when police searched her bag. The TRA panel also heard Jenkins was convicted in March 2022 of drink-driving when she was three times over the limit and told a witness that she had 'done something silly'. 'Dishonest' conduct After 13 years as a teacher at Merlin Top, she did not return to the school after the knife incident and quit her job in October 2022. The school referred the matter to the TRA. The panel ruled she had failed to tell the school that she had been arrested and convicted of the knife offences. It said: 'The findings of misconduct are particularly serious as they include a finding which involved offences which placed the public at risk of harm, and conduct found to be dishonest and that lacked integrity.' Jenkins, who did not attend the hearing, was described as an experienced and fantastic teacher. She has been banned from the classroom for at least five years.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- BBC News
Former Swindon teacher had sex with pupil at teen's family home
A teacher has been banned from the profession after admitting to a six-month sexual relationship with a pupil 25 years Flinders, 55, was working at St Joseph's School in Swindon when she kissed the student at another teacher's house following sports day, leading to regular sexual encounters at the student's house throughout incident came to light in 2011 while Ms Flinders was employed at another school, from which she resigned a few months Police said no action was taken due to legislation at the time. Giving evidence at a professional conduct hearing, Ms Flinders said: "During July 2000, I went for a drink with Pupil A after sports day. "We then went to another teacher's house. I asked Pupil A for a kiss goodbye. He kissed me and it was consensual."She explained a "consensual sexual relationship" then pupil said: "During the summer, my parents worked during the day and were out of the house, so they were not aware that our relationship had progressed to a sexual relationship."The pupil ended the relationship in December 2000. Rumours confirmed Ms Flinders left St Joseph's in March 2002 and started working as an art teacher at Churchfields school in September 2011, the pupil was asked about the rumours of their relationship and confirmed it to someone whose relative worked as head of art at Churchfields School, leading to the police investigation. Ms Flinders resigned and did not return to teaching.A referral was made to the Teaching Regulation Agency in March 2022. The Abuse of Position of Trust legislation, making it an offence for anyone over 18 to have sexual intercourse with a younger person if they are in a position of trust over them, was not enacted until 8 January was weeks after the sexual relationship ceased, so no further action was taken by the police. During the hearing, the pupil agreed the relationship was consensual, stating he never felt taken advantage of and did "not hold any bad feelings toward her".In a witness statement, Ms Flinders apologised to the pupil, adding: "I hope the process for him of reliving these events have not harmed him in any way. "I hope he can move forward in a positive light."The panel said she "seriously breached the teacher pupil boundary, abused her position of trust and failed to protect the safety and well-being of Pupil A", banning her from teaching for life.
