Hearing told pupils were touched inappropriately
A TEACHER touched a pupil when she “didn’t want to be touched”, an Education Workforce Council panel has heard.
On Monday, the fitness to practise committee was told James Elliot Hume worked at Cowbridge Comprehensive School from September 2011 until February 6 last year.
Over the course of a 10-month period Hume is alleged to have acted unprofessionally towards a student, identified as Pupil One.
It was claimed within this period, on at least one occasion, he massaged her shoulders and/or rubbed her back, including around the bra strap area.
It is also claimed he placed his hand over her hand while she was using a computer mouse for an inappropriate length of time, leaned over her while she was using the computer, stood too close to her, and placed his hands on her chair while she was sitting in it.
Yesterday, Pupil One provided evidence at the hearing, which is scheduled to last all week.
She told the panel: “Mr Hume was not the nicest teacher.
“He used to shout a lot and get angry at the tiniest of things. Mr Hume made me feel very uncomfortable because he was touching me and I didn’t want to be touched.
“I felt Mr Hume was invading my space during lessons on occasions I didn’t ask him to.”
Pupil One told the panel when her concerns began to grow about Hume’s behaviour she confided in two other pupils, who were referred to as Pupil Two and Pupil Three.
The matter was then reported to teacher Tim D’Arcy who notified headteacher Debra Thomas.
Staff then asked the pupils to talk to them individually regarding their concerns.
Pupil One told the panel she felt “really uncomfortable” when Hume massaged her and claimed she would try to move towards Pupil Three or Pupil Two when he was doing it.
“I would try to move my chair,” she said. “He would carry on.”
She also explained that if she asked for help with her work he would use the mouse. Pupil One said: “I felt uncomfortable because he didn’t really say anything. He just put his hand on top of my hand so I didn’t get a chance to move.”
Hume denies the allegations regarding Pupil One. Andrew Faux, representing Hume, said his client accepted he would sometimes go over to the computer and position himself to peer at the screen, and that may have made the pupil feel “uncomfortable”.
Mr Faux also told the panel his client would sometimes pat students on the back as if to say: “I’m here, I’m going to lean over.”
When asked if she was aware of Hume doing this, Pupil One replied: “He didn’t. He would massage my shoulders and leave his hand on my shoulders.”
There are also allegations made in relation to another child identified as Pupil Seven.
In relation to this pupil on at least one occasion during an eight-month timeframe Hume is alleged to have massaged her shoulders, placed his hand over her hand while she was using a computer mouse for an inappropriate length of time, rubbed her back and/or her bra strap for at least 20 seconds, and maintained contact with her body when she moved away. He denies the allegations.
Giving evidence yesterday, Pupil Seven told the panel she thought Hume was “a bit odd”.
When presenting officer Sara Lewis asked what she meant by this Pupil Seven said he didn’t teach in a way similar to other teachers.
Pupil Seven said: “Other teachers didn’t get involved in the personal and private lives of the students but he seemed to take interest.
“At the time Pupil Eight had a boyfriend. He asked about it quite a lot and wanted to know about the relationship and ended up trying to help her break up with him even though she was quite happy in the relationship.”
Mr Faux later asked if Hume’s questions about Pupil Eight and her boyfriend were ever intended as a joke.
Pupil Seven replied: “It wasn’t asked as a joke. It came across deadly serious. I remember coming into class with Pupil Eight and I remember he would say: ‘Have you done your homework?’
“Pupil Eight would start panicking saying: ‘ We didn’t have any homework’. Mr Hume would say: ‘You were meant to break up with your boyfriend – that was your homework’.”
Pupil Seven also told the panel Hume massaged her shoulders “on six or seven occasions”. She said it lasted maybe 20 seconds a time.
Mr Faux told the panel Hume says he understands some of what he was doing was wrong.
The panel was told when Pupil Seven needed help Hume may have come up alongside her and placed a hand on the desk.
Hume accepts he may have also placed his hand on the student’s shoulder but rejects the claim that his hands would ever go near the bra strap area.
He accepts placing his hands on the student, and that it was wrong, but he denies ever massaging her or rubbing her bra strap.
However, Hume admits some allegations regarding Pupil Eight. In relation to Pupil Eight it is alleged that during one academic year Hume repeatedly told her to break up with her boyfriend and also offered to write her a script, or words to that effect, to help her break up with her boyfriend.
It’s also claimed he suggested that breaking up with her boyfriend was her homework.
Hume admits these three allegations in relation to Pupil Eight but denies any of the actions were sexually motivated.
The hearing continues.