Teacher who had sex with Leaving Cert student is found guilty of professional misconduct

They had sex four to six times – in her mother’s bed, his car and at his apartment – she said, and he sent Snapchat messages including: “Should f**k soon”, and “car sex later”.

The teacher sent explicit pictures of himself and lewd messages to the vulnerable 18-year-old to “steer” her into an inappropriate relationship, and had sex with her up to six times in the months before her exams.

A fitness-to-teach inquiry panel retired this afternoon to consider what sanction to impose on the teacher, who has accepted the findings and that “it’s likely his career is finished.” A decision is expected next week.

The man, now in his 30s, had denied all the allegations and was not required to attend the inquiry in person.

The hearing was told he inappropriately added the complainant, known as Ms A, on Snapchat in late 2017 and had contact with her on the platform up to the following summer, sending her messages, pictures and memes of a sexual nature.

He had an inappropriate sexual relationship with her for several months up to June 2018, and provided her with alcohol. He also touched and kissed her best friend, Ms B, in a pub on sixth year graduation night that year, and inappropriately contacted her on Snapchat.

Evidence was heard in July this year.

When it resumed today, the inquiry was told all the allegations had been found proven beyond reasonable doubt and they amounted to professional misconduct and a breach of the Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers.

Potential penalties range from “advice” on future conduct to suspension or removal of a teacher from the register.

Neasa Bird BL, for the director of the Teaching Council, submitted that findings merited a “very serious sanction” and asked the inquiry panel to consider the ultimate penalty of removal from the register.

The conduct was “incompatible with the teaching profession, she said.

The teacher’s behaviour was an abuse of his position in a situation where the “seniority and power” lay with him. He owed the students a duty of care and his conduct was “fundamentally at odds with his role as a teacher.”

Ms Bird asked the panel to consider the impact on the students at a “very difficult time” as they prepared for their Leaving Cert and that the misconduct was a “pattern of behaviour” over a period of months.

Ms A had spoken of the “stress and anxiety” she suffered and said the teacher’s actions “did cause her harm.”

There was no evidence of any insight on the part of the teacher who made no admissions, apology or expression of remorse, Ms Bird said.

Solicitor Eoin McGlinchey, for the teacher, said his client had been inexperienced, it had been his first permanent teaching role and he was “very close in age” to the complainant.

Mr McGlinchey said while the teacher made no admissions, he did not challenge the evidence of the witnesses, who had not been subjected to cross-examination.

“He accepts the findings of the panel without reservation,” the solicitor said. “He accepts it’s likely that his teaching career is finished.”

During the inquiry, Ms A gave evidence that the teacher worked in her school and though she did not have him for classes, he gave her grinds before adding her on Snapchat.

Their messages became increasingly intimate before they began exchanging explicit photos – he would send her “d**k pics” while she sent nude photos of herself, she said.

They had sex four to six times – in her mother’s bed, his car and at his apartment – she said, and he sent Snapchat messages including: “Should f**k soon”, and “car sex later”.

At one point he said they had not had sex while she was in her school uniform and told her: “that would be hot”.

Ms B said on graduation night in 2018, the teacher “slapped my bum two to three times” and kissed her. He later sent her a “d**k pic” on Snapchat and she said he was “predatory” and had “always given off a creepy vibe.”

Ms A said in college she grew “more uncomfortable” about what happened, got back in touch with him on Snapchat and asked a trusted friend to record their chat history as it became visible.

She said the teacher had shown no remorse over what happened.

When she said to him he had been with students back in the day, he replied: “excuse me, I only f**ked one student, ha ha.” She took this to mean herself.

In a pre-inquiry submission, the teacher had questioned the credibility of Ms A’s account, said her case was “weak” and there was “nothing to suggest he had anything other than an exemplary record of teaching.”