A religious education teacher has been banned from teaching indefinitely after sending sexually motivated messages to two former pupils while they were still under 18.
Thomas Wilson, 38, who worked at St Paul's Catholic High School and St Thomas More RC College in Denton, Tameside, sent the messages via WhatsApp. In one exchange, he asked a former student, 'What would you do if you were here!? Xxx', followed by 'I was thinking a really great morning f***!!'. He also sent her a sexually suggestive picture of his naked torso.
Misconduct findings
The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel heard concerns were first raised about Mr Wilson a year after he began work at St Paul's. He was found to have sent 'overly-familiar' messages to a former pupil, referred to as Student H, including asking 'Have you got the house to yourself tonight? Xxx'.
Between February 2022 and April 2022, he also sent several messages, including 18 photos of his naked torso, to a workmate referred to as Colleague C. The panel said Colleague C had 'on several occasions reciprocated Mr Wilson’s messages and images'.
Further allegations
Mr Wilson began work at St Thomas More RC College in April 2023, but seven months later it emerged he had engaged in inappropriate contact with another ex-pupil, Student A, after sending her his mobile phone number by email. In a WhatsApp message on April 16, 2023, he asked her the same question about what she would do, followed by 'I was thinking a really great morning f***!! But not if you are too tired!! Xxx'.
Mr Wilson was arrested in November 2023 in relation to his conduct towards Student A. He was suspended from work later that month, and his employment was terminated in March the following year.
Banning order
In correspondence with the TRA, Mr Wilson admitted all allegations against him, but through his solicitors denied some. He did not attend the hearing and was not represented. The panel ruled his actions towards Student H and Student A were 'sexually motivated' and 'abhorrent and wholly unacceptable', and that his conduct towards Colleague C 'amounted to misconduct of a serious nature'.
