LIFE OF CRIME FOR TEACHER HOPEFULS

Convicts’ bid to get into classroom

KILLERS, paedophiles and drug dealers were among more than 3,500 criminals who applied for teaching jobs in the last year.

It means almost 70 applications were made every week by people with a criminal past. Arsonists, racists and those convicted of mistreating children also pitched for a role in the classroom.

One was a bigamist and another applicant had a conviction for holding terrorist information.

A total of 3,547 applications last year revealed criminal histories which amounted to 9,935 offences – punished with either court convictions, cautions or police warnings. The records are all held by the Disclosure and Barring Service, which trawls the Police National Computer for offences committed by applicants for jobs that would give them access to children or the vulnerable.

Dr Suzanne Smith, DBS’ director of barring and safeguarding, said: “It is important to remember that the decision to employ someone rests with the employer as part of their recruitment processes.

“They must carry out their own assessment as to someone’s suitability for a particular role and fully utilise their own safeguarding policies and procedures.”

There were two convictions where the applicant had caused a death on the road through reckless or dangerous driving.

Other offences revealed included four cases of assaulting a child and 21 for the neglect or ill treatment of a child.

Two people had been convicted of sexually assaulting a woman and five for indecently assaulting children under 16. One had been convicted of having sex with an underage girl and six were found guilty of “flashing”. Two were convicted of voyeurism and one for revenge porn offences. Four would-be teachers had convictions for stalking, while one had been convicted of kidnapping and 76 had carried out a robbery. Applicants’ most common offences were drink-driving (1,017), shoplifting (619) and assault (452).