Teacher banned for life after assaulting girl

The offences took place in 2001, when Jeremy Townend was a teacher at Orleton Church of England Primary School, Ludlow

A teacher has been banned from the profession for life after being found guilty of assaulting a girl while he was a teacher at a north Herefordshire primary school.

Jeremy Townend, 61, was prevented from teaching after a hearing by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA).

He was jailed for four and a half years at Cambridge Crown Court in June 2022, after being convicted of five counts of indecent assault on a girl under 16.

The offences took place in 2001, when he was a teacher at Orleton Church of England Primary School near Ludlow, although the TRA panel heard there was no evidence the case was linked with his job.

Townend was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

A conduct panel for the Teaching Regulation Agency heard that Townend was employed as a teacher by the school from September 1996 to August 2002.

The panel noted that there was no evidence to suggest that he had abused his position of trust as a teacher whilst working in a teaching environment, or with his own pupils.

However, it was found that he had a position of trust with the victim and her family, and abused that in order to advance a sexual relationship.

The panel said that he had referred to the "alleged" offence in a letter to them in 2023, despite having been convicted of the offence and serving his sentence.

Decision-maker Marc Cavey ultimately decided that Townend would never teach in any school, sixth form, youth accommodation or children’s home in England, and would not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach.

"In this case, I have placed considerable weight on the very serious nature of Mr Townend’s misconduct, involving sexual activity with a child and what the panel describe as 'calculated and motivated' behaviour on his part," he said in his conclusion.

"I have also placed weight on the panel’s comments concerning the lack of evidence that Mr Townend has attained full insight into or remorse for his actions."