Teacher banned after grabbing man’s testicles
ATEACHER who grabbed a colleague by the testicles and ripped open his shirt at a fundraisng event has been banned from the classroom for two years.
Helen Elizabeth Evans, 44, was accused of unacceptable professional conduct in relation to a number of alleged incidents while working at Llanishen Fach Primary School, in Cardiff.
At an Education Workforce Council (EWC) fitness to practise hearing the claim she had grabbed the man was one of 17 allegations found proven.
Other allegations found proven included Ms Evans allowing a snake to be brought in to school, failing to properly document pupil progression, and referring to two colleagues as “dumb and dumber”.
During the proceedings the panel heard the grabbing incident was passed on to the Crown Prosecution Service as an alleged sexual assault but was not taken further.
The EWC panel found an allegation the incident was sexually motivated not proven, but committee chairman Steve Powell said: “This could be appropriately described as a sexual assault.”
Recalling the incident during his evidence to the hearing, the man involved – referred to as Colleague A – said he had had no contact with Ms Evans all night before she approached him.
“I was completely shocked,” said the man, who no longer works at the school.
“Out of the blue Ms Evans strode up to me, faced me, with one hand ripped open my shirt and got underneath and grabbed my testicles.
“It was completely unprovoked. I made a noise as she caught me and she rushed away.”
Ms Evans, a teacher of 22 years, did not attend the hearing other than on the penultimate day, when she asked for an adjournment as she claimed new “witnesses had come forward” in support of her. This request was refused.
Summing up, Mr Powell said: “Ms Evans had only participated in these proceedings to a very limited extent. She had provided a substantive response to only some of the allegations.
“It was only the day before the hearing she notified the EWC that she was not proposing to attend.
“The committee was unable to explore with Ms Evans what lessons had been learnt from the events. It was regrettable that there was no evidence as to what she had been doing since leaving the school.”
The committee determined that a prohibition order was proportionate in this case “given the seriousness of Ms Evans’ conduct”.
Mr Powell added: “Ms Evans has shown no evidence of regret or remorse. She has not apologised for her conduct.
“A range of misconduct has been proven, which spanned several academic years. This was not an isolated matter.
“Her actions considered were a serious departure from the personal and professional standards expected from a registered person.
“There was evidence of a harmful, deep-seated personality and attitude problem. Ms Evans had shown no insight and demonstrated an inability, unwillingness, or refusal to seek to resolve matters.
“There was evidence of an unwillingness to follow management instructions.”
An allegation of bullying which was found proven was described as “sustained and serious”.
Ms Evans was banned from teaching for two years. She has 28 days to appeal to the High Court.