Teacher struck off for drunken temple rant

A PRIMARY school teacher tried to invade a hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses after getting drunk at an end-of-term party, a disciplinary hearing was told.

Samantha Beresford, 51, was out with colleagues when she got into an argument outside the Kingdom Hall in Swansea. She swore at worshippers as she attempted to confront her sister-inlaw – who she believed was inside – over her views on homosexuality.

The incident, in July 2016, led to a conviction of assault by beating. Beresford has now also been stripped of her teaching qualification after the Cardiff Fitness to Practise panel deemed her unsuitable for the profession.

Kingdom Hall member Gavin Young said: “She was shouting when she walked up the path towards me and was making references to her relative and to her religious views on homosexuality.

“She wanted to walk past me through the open door so I grabbed her wrists and she grabbed me by the neck and held on to my throat for five seconds, which resulted in a bleed.”

Beresford had told police she had been “eight out of ten” drunk.

The teacher, who worked at the Townhill Community School in Swansea since 1991 and was “well thought of ”, was fined £600 and ordered to pay £50 in compensation.

In a statement, Beresford said: “I deeply regret my actions which led to my arrest and caused distress to my family. The incident continues to have a devastating effect.”