Teacher banned over sexual relationship with pupil

Christopher Suter was a history teacher at the former Valley Comprehensive School in Worksop, Nottinghamshire

A teacher has been banned from the profession after a watchdog found he had a sexual relationship with a pupil.

Christopher Suter was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct at the former Valley Comprehensive School in Worksop, Nottinghamshire.

He was suspended from the school in 2012 over his conduct with another pupil, the panel heard.

It later emerged the history teacher, then aged 38, had pursued a sexual relationship with a pupil in 2004, which led to a misconduct hearing in August.

In its ruling, the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel said his "harmful behaviour had been repeated".

The TRA found Mr Suter "did not provide any evidence of remorse", and his actions had a "significant and long-lasting impact" on the student, who was referred to as "Pupil A".

The TRA added: "The panel concluded that as a direct result of the sexual relationship with Pupil A, Mr Suter gained sexual gratification."

'Knowing it was wrong'

Mr Suter, now 58, taught at the school, now Outwood Academy Valley, between September 1992 to 2010.

He remained in a relationship with Pupil A "throughout her time at the school's sixth form and into her early adult life", the panel heard.

It found: "Mr Suter attempted to conceal that relationship, knowing it was wrong."

The pupil - whose age at the time of the initial contact was not given - reported the relationship to the police in 2018, but a police investigation did not result in any charges brought against Mr Suter, the TRA said.

In 2021, the teaching watchdog received a referral from Nottinghamshire County Council and a professional conduct panel hearing was held in August.

In emails Mr Suter sent to Pupil A in 2004, which were seen by the panel, he told her "you make a stand against your over strict domineering parents. You tell them that you are now a grown woman with her own desires".

He also told her she was "much older than [her] earth age would suggest", something he said he liked, and gave him the "confidence to build this friendship".

Denial

The panel heard evidence that Mr Suter asked to meet Pupil A outside school and that they eventually had sexual intercourse on one or more occasions.

Pupil A told the panel she believed at the time that she was in a relationship with the teacher.

Mr Suter did not attend the misconduct hearing but had denied there was any sexual contact with the pupil before she left the school, the TRA said. He acknowledged there had been a relationship after Pupil A left school.

Mr Suter said in written submissions that he cut ties with the pupil in 2009, stating he had "difficulties at the school in 2010 regarding a separate complaint". The panel heard how he later asked Pupil A to "sign something to say nothing happened between them".

Mr Suter was banned from teaching in England and blocked from applying to have his eligibility to teach restored.