A maths teacher has been banned from teaching indefinitely after being spotted walking naked by the River Tyne in Hebburn. Andrew Peacock, who was deputy head of department at Hetton Academy, was seen by pubgoers on 11 November 2023.
Peacock told police he was a naturist and accepted a caution for a public order offence. At a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) hearing, four allegations were found proven in February, leading to his indefinite ban from teaching.
Witnesses described seeing Peacock naked near the water's edge. He ran back to his car when noticed, but drove up and down the street three times. Police stopped him and found him with a grey hoody over his lap, bare legs showing.
In interview, Peacock said he had been naked for less than a minute and had taken steps to avoid being seen. He denied any sexual gratification or intent to cause alarm. He stated he was a naturist and had sought a quiet location for personal reflection.
The TRA panel found that Peacock failed to inform the school of his arrest, and that his conduct lacked integrity. It concluded his actions amounted to misconduct of a serious nature, falling significantly short of professional standards.
