Teacher banned after stamping on boy's head and attacking pupil

Thomas Taylor assaulted one of the boys at Heathfield Primary School in Ayr

A former primary school teacher has been banned from the profession for two years after assaulting a pupil and stamping on another boy's head in South Ayrshire.

Thomas Taylor assaulted the pupil, then aged 10, at Heathfield School in Ayr in December 2022.

He referred himself to the General Teaching Council (GTC) for Scotland a month later. But in May 2023, he attacked another boy on a street in Troon.

Taylor appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court in September 2023 where he was given two community payback orders for 400 hours of unpaid work. He was ordered to be under supervision for 36 months and to wear an electronic tag for 16 months.

According to a GTC Scotland report, Taylor pushed a 10-year-old boy on the body, seized hold of his clothing and arms, forcibly pulled his arms behind his back and walked him into the Heathfield Primary School premises.

Six months later, he attacked another child at the junction between Welbeck Crescent and Bank Street in Troon.

He seized him by the neck, threw him to the floor, stamped on his head and repeatedly kicked him to the head and body.

'High level of aggression'

Taylor told an investigation by the teaching regulator that he hoped the victims could “move on from the experience in a positive way” and apologised for his “momentary lapse of judgement”.

Their report said he had apologised and appeared to be taking steps to address his "violent offending behaviour".

But the panel found that the misconduct was “so serious that it was fundamentally incompatible” with remaining a teacher.

They said “the high level of aggression” in Taylor’s behaviour and the fact children were the victims added to the seriousness of this case.

The report said: “The panel determined someone who behaved in the manner the teacher did cannot be in a classroom environment, and particularly not as a registered teacher.

"A finding of being unfit to teach was necessary to maintain the public’s confidence in GTC Scotland as the regulator of the teaching profession in Scotland."

Taylor has been removed from the teaching register and cannot re-apply for two years, which is the maximum period of prohibition.

A South Ayrshire Council spokeswoman said: "Mr Taylor no longer works for South Ayrshire Council. We do not comment on former employees."