Lecturer denies inviting student to stay the night

ACOLLEGE lecturer told a student she could spend the night at his home if she agreed to carry out work at the property, a fitness to practise committee has been told.

Mark Jones, who taught the teenager on his introductory painting and decorating course, is accused of repeatedly contacting her on his personal phone, giving her gifts, and completing a college exam paper in her name.

The girl – referred to as Learner A – told staff at Coleg Sir Gar in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, that Mr Jones was once standing so close behind her while demonstrating a painting technique that she felt him breathing on her neck, the committee heard.

Yesterday, an Education Workforce Council hearing was told Mr Jones’ behaviour towards the girl was “inappropriate”, and that an investigation into his conduct found he had also forged another two exam papers for his students.

Presenting officer Sara Lewis told the remote hearing that in September 2019 the girl alleged to staff that Mr Jones had offered her £100 to complete a decorating job at his house and said she could stay overnight in a spare room.

Sarah Hopkins, who carried out the college’s internal investigation, said: “It was not appropriate for Mark Jones to offer her paid work at his home or to stay overnight. This behaviour compromised his professional responsibilities.”

The girl described Mr Jones as being “over-friendly with her”, and said he had told her over text during the final two weeks of college that he had completed an examination on her behalf.

The exam paper was completed on a day she was absent from college and said to be in Mr Jones’ handwriting using red ink which, following a review of other papers, was also believed to have been used to complete tests for two other absent students.

Mrs Hopkins said Mr Jones was “surprised and upset” when confronted with the allegations, telling investigators he would only text the girl if she was absent from class.

He said he gave the gifts of a healing stone and a book on confidence because the girl “was very anxious”.

Mrs Hopkins said the lecturer claimed he was concerned about the girl’s welfare as she had mentioned feeling low and was “worried she would do something stupid”.

He also said he would never allow a student to stay at his home, and had told the girl she could stay in an outside cottage while completing work at his home, for which he would have paid her “eight or nine pounds an hour”.

Ruaraidh Fitzpatrick, representing Mr Jones, asked Mrs Hopkins whether the allegation the teacher had invaded the girl’s personal space in class could simply be explained by needing to demonstrate a painting technique.

Mrs Hopkins replied: “I can’t think of a classroom demonstration where you’d have to stand so close to a student that you’d be breathing on her neck.”

She described the girl as “timid” and “quite vulnerable”.

Mr Jones accepts contacting the girl using his personal mobile phone, giving her one or more gifts, and offering her paid work in his home.

But he denies allegations of sharing personal information about his private life with her, invading her personal space, inviting her to stay overnight in his home, or that his actions were inappropriate, a breach of professional boundaries, or amount to unacceptable professional conduct.

He also denies completing the City and Guilds Level 1 Painting and Decorating assessment on behalf of three students.

Coleg Sir Gar has about 10,000 learners predominantly aged between 16 and 19 at higher and further education level.

The hearing continues.