A former teacher at Wensleydale School has been banned from teaching indefinitely after a professional conduct panel found he engaged in sexually motivated behaviour towards a vulnerable pupil.
Ian Johnson, who taught food, hospitality and catering at the Leyburn school between 2018 and 2022, has been prohibited from teaching following a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) hearing.
The panel found that between September 2020 and May 2022, Mr Johnson repeatedly put his hands on a female pupil’s hips and lower back, pulled her towards him and, on another occasion, stood in front of a different pupil with his arms on either side of her legs while she sat on a table.
It also found he had described a female Year 11 pupil from a previous school as “stunningly beautiful”.
While the panel concluded the physical contact with the second pupil was not proven to be sexually motivated, it found the repeated contact with the first pupil was sexually motivated, ruling there was “no plausible innocent explanation” for his actions.
The hearing heard that the pupil was touched in almost every lesson over a prolonged period and that she had tried to step away from Mr Johnson, only to be pulled back towards him.
She told the panel she eventually began avoiding lessons because of his behaviour and remained “scared that I might see him again”.
A video recorded by another pupil on April 1, 2022, showed Mr Johnson standing directly in front of the seated pupil with both hands positioned on either side of her. The panel heard the footage had prompted concerns from other pupils, who described the incident as making them uncomfortable.
Mr Johnson initially denied the incident had happened but, after being shown a still image taken from the video, acknowledged it had occurred. He said he had lowered himself to speak to the pupil, who he claimed was anxious about an upcoming examination, and argued she did not appear uncomfortable. However, the panel found his positioning was inappropriate, noting that it would have prevented the pupil from moving away easily.
While the panel concluded the incident captured on video was unprofessional, it found there was insufficient evidence to determine it had been sexually motivated.
Concerns first came to light in March and April 2022 when several pupils reported Mr Johnson’s behaviour to school staff.
Following a referral to the Local Authority Designated Officer and police, Mr Johnson was suspended on April 8, 2022. His employment was terminated in July that year before the case was referred to the TRA.
Mr Johnson denied many of the allegations, claiming any physical contact was the result of working in confined classroom spaces and that some comments had been taken out of context.
However, the panel found the evidence of the main complainant to be “credible and convincing” and concluded his explanations were not persuasive.
The panel also found Mr Johnson had shown very limited remorse or insight into his behaviour, noting he continued to justify his actions rather than accept responsibility.
Although the professional conduct panel initially recommended a prohibition order with a five-year review period, the Secretary of State’s decision-maker imposed a lifetime prohibition without any right to seek restoration to the profession.
The decision means Mr Johnson is prohibited from teaching indefinitely in England, although he has the right to appeal to the High Court within 28 days of being notified of the order.
