Primary school teacher banned after sex conversations with child

Young was suspended from his job in June 2020 and, after a disciplinary investigation, was sacked in March 2021

A primary school teacher has been banned from the profession after a misconduct panel heard about his conviction for having sexual conversations with a child.

James Young, 30, was arrested in 2020 and subsequently sacked by Romans Field School, Milton Keynes in 2021.

He had been given a suspended jail sentence in the courts prior to the Teaching Regulations Agency hearing.

The conviction did not relate to any pupils at the school.

The Teaching Regulations Agency panel decision said "there was a strong public interest consideration in respect of the protection of pupils given the serious findings of inappropriate relationships with children".

It heard that Young had used his job title - primary school teacher - as his username in adult online chatrooms.

He had engaged in sexual and inappropriate conversations with a person who he believed to be a child, despite having been informed by the child of their age on several occasions, it heard.

His actions were deliberate, the panel said.

The misconduct panel said James Young had used his job title in an adult chatroom site

Young was arrested on 29 May 2020 and was suspended from his job on 2 June.

The suspension was reviewed monthly, the panel heard, and after a disciplinary investigation and police inquiry, he was sacked on 12 March 2021.

In an email to the school in February 2021, Young admitted the incident "was an act of utter stupidity, a total mistake, which was completely out of character".

He said he had "struggled during Covid and the lockdowns, especially not being able to do the one thing I love - classroom teaching".

The panel noted that the incident took place outside of the education setting and had not involved pupils or other members of Romans Field school.

Nevertheless, it added that Young's actions and conviction were relevant to his job.

Young, whose address at the time of his court appearance was in Warminster in Wiltshire, admitted one count of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

He was sentenced at Northampton Crown Court to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, on 23 July 2021.

His name was added to the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years and he was ordered to undertake rehabilitation and 150 hours of unpaid work.