Don’t ban me, says belt attack teacher

A FORMER primary school teacher who assaulted a woman with a belt claims he is fit to return to the classroom.

Charles Tighe, 51, was sacked from his job at Beckford Primary, Hamilton, Lanarkshire, after admitting assault. He was given a community payback order in 2019.

He is being investigated by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) over his actions, which could see him struck from the teaching register. The GTCS allegations held against him reveal his history of assaults from 2007 until 2018.

These include striking a woman as she held a child and hitting her with a belt. Tighe pinned another victim to the floor and repeatedly sent text messages to a woman which caused her ‘fear and alarm’.

He told a GTCS fitness to teach panel: ‘I accept that I was convicted of serious offences, I admit the allegations in their entirety... I do not admit that my fitness to teach is currently impaired.’

He said he had taken steps to address his behaviour. The hearing continues.