A TEACHER has been banned from the classroom for life after flirting with and kissing a pupil at his Derby secondary school.
Leigh White, 28, admitted having an inappropriate relationship with the pupil when he was a maths teacher at Merrill Academy in Alvaston.
He was cautioned by police for the offence of abuse of position of trust – sexual activity with a child between March 1 and May 12, 2013.
A report of a disciplinary panel said the pupil was in year 11, and at the time would have been aged 15 or 16.
The panel said he was employed at the school between July 2011 and May 2013, and taught the girl, known as Pupil A, between February and May 2013. It said that White admitted that during that time he had an inappropriate relationship with the girl and that this led to two reports being made to the NSPCC and White being interviewed by police.
The following day, White was suspended from his job at Merrill Academy. He was interviewed again, and cautioned by the police on July 31, 2013. He was later sacked by the school.
White admitted contact with Pupil A by text message and telephone and meeting her outside school on unspecified dates and "kissing her, hugging her and holding hands with her".
However, White, of Derby, denied that his actions in relation to Pupil A were "sexually motivated".
The panel found that, by meeting with Pupil A on a number of occasions over a period of months, White committed a "flagrant breach of his position of trust".
Mary Speakman chaired a National College for Teaching and Leadership professional conduct hearing into White's behaviour.
She said in a report of the hearing: "Although there is no evidence of sexual intercourse between Mr White and Pupil A, he has admitted conduct including: flirting with her, telling Pupil A he loved her, meeting her on a number of occasions on weekday evenings and weekends, having kissed her, hugged her, held hands with her, allowing her to travel in his car and attended an event with her."
Giving the final decision on behalf of Education Secretary Michael Gove, NCTL official Paul Heathcote said: "The panel has judged Mr White's behaviour to be sexually-motivated despite his consistent denial that this was the case.
"His behaviour had the potential to result in harm to Pupil A.
"There is no evidence of insight and no remorse beyond an acceptance that what he did was wrong and naive."
White, who was found guilty of "unacceptable professional conduct", is prohibited from teaching indefinitely in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children's home in England.
He has a right of appeal to the High Court.
An academy spokesman said: "Prompt action was taken as soon as allegations came to light.
"The academy cooperated fully with the police as they undertook their investigation and is reassured by the investigation that this is an isolated case."
