A science teacher's career lies in ruins after he was discovered accessing explicit adult content and using chat sites during school hours, leading to a lifetime prohibition from the profession.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett, 36, was found to have engaged in "unacceptable professional conduct" and conduct that may bring the teaching profession into disrepute. A professional conduct panel convened by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) heard the shocking details of his actions.
A Pattern of Inappropriate Behaviour
The panel was presented with evidence that Bennett, while employed at a secondary school, repeatedly used school equipment to access inappropriate material. This included:
- Viewing images of naked and semi-naked women on his school-issued device.
- Actively using adult-themed chat websites during lesson time.
- Failing to uphold the safeguarding standards expected of a person in his position of trust.
His actions were deemed not merely a one-off lapse in judgement but a "sustained pattern of behaviour" that fell significantly short of the strict standards set for teachers in the UK.
The Outcome: A Lifetime Ban from Teaching
Following the hearing, decision-maker Alan Meyrick upheld the panel's recommendation for the most severe sanction. Mr. Bennett was issued with a prohibition order, effectively banning him indefinitely from teaching in any school, college, or educational setting in England.
In his findings, Mr. Meyrick stated that public confidence in the profession could be "seriously weakened" if such conduct was not met with the strongest response. He noted that the lack of insight and remorse shown by Bennett was a significant factor in the decision.
The lifetime ban ensures the protection of pupils and reaffirms the high ethical standards demanded of those entrusted with their education and welfare.
