Description
A DISGRACED grammar school teacher who secretly photographed girls at school has been struck off for sexual misconduct.
Ashley Bakewell had been employed as a computing teacher at South Wilts Grammar School since January 2012, but on December 16, 2016, a sixth former suspected him of photographing female pupils at the school and reported him to the head teacher.
"Numerous images" were found on his phone from earlier that day, but Bakewell admitted he had been taking inappropriate pictures of the girls without their knowledge and storing them on his mobile for about a year.
The 33-year-old resigned in February 2017, but a spokesman for the school confirmed he had been immediately suspended in December 2016, and did not return to the school site.
Last month his case was heard by a panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA), who found that his conduct was "sexually motivated" and barred him from teaching indefinitely.
Bakewell admitted he "was particularly attracted to the relevant pupils' long hair".
An agreed statement of facts says: "[The pictures] were dated December 16, 2016, which was the date that pupils at the school reported Mr Bakewell's inappropriate conduct.
"The images were taken from behind and of female pupils."
The day in question had been a non-uniform day, and the pictures were of "pupils in various academic years".
South Wilts educates girls between ages 11 and 18.
The report said: "[Bakewell] breached the trust and confidence placed in him through his position as a teacher by, without their knowledge, taking images of children, repeatedly, over a long period of time."
It added: "This case has sexual misconduct at its core, and therefore the panel is of the view that prohibition [from teaching] is both proportionate and appropriate."
But Bakewell can apply to have his prohibition order overturned in five years, with the panel ruling that no harm had been caused to the girls who had been photographed, and that the photos "although inappropriate were not indecent".
It comes after art teacher Debbie Evans was banned from teaching for life for having a two-year affair with a sixth form pupil in 2015.
A statement from South Wilts said a "serious safeguarding matter" was reported by students in December 2016, and that staff "immediately followed the school's safeguarding procedures".
It said investigations were undertaken by various agencies including the police and Wiltshire Safeguarding Children Board.
It continued: "This is an unusual and rare event, but the school acted promptly when notified of the matter and our policies were effective and robust enough to respond according to regulatory guidance.
"As ever, the school ensures that the safety and wellbeing of our students is its highest priority."
Wiltshire Police confirmed an investigation had been undertaken, but "no criminal offences were established".