Cambridge teacher banned for sexual relationships with pupils

Andrew Batterham was a teacher at The Leys school in Cambridge at the time

A teacher has been banned indefinitely after a panel found he had sexual relationships with two pupils.

Andrew Batterham,57, was found to have engaged in the relationships while a teacher at the Leys School in Cambridge between 2000 and 2005.

His actions "overstepped the boundary by a wide, if not the widest, mark", the panel concluded.

A police investigation resulted in no further action and Mr Batterham had denied the allegations.

One of the pupils first made a disclosure to the school in 2019 where Mr Batterham had been a teacher since 1994 until he agreed to resign in 2020.

A Teacher Regulation Agency panel noted Mr Batterham had taken "similar actions" with both pupils.

Those included "taking them for isolated talks", text messages, kissing and bringing them to his home address, the panel concluded.

The panel heard evidence from two pupils, Pupil A and Pupil B, about their relationships with Mr Batterham.

The school launched an internal investigation but Mr Batterham denied the allegations, calling them "vile and pernicious".

Evidence was heard about how he sent "flirtatious and sexual" text messages to both pupils and repeatedly invited them to his home.

Pupil A told the panel the flirty messages they exchanged made them feel both "special and uncomfortable".

Mr Batterham took Pupil A to pubs and to a restaurant where they said it appeared at one point like he was "worried" they would be seen.

On one occasion he "dared [Pupil A] to put their hand down his trousers" while they were out after a school event and were around other pupils.

Pupil A said during one visit to his house where they were intimate they felt "very special" but then felt "disgusted".

Andrew Batterham called the allegations "vile and pernicious" during an internal review at the school

The pupil said on the occasion they had sex Mr Batterham, then "abruptly ended contact".

Mr Batterham, who did not attend the hearing, asked for Pupil B's phone number under the guise of wanting to help with a school project, the panel was told.

They said his messages became flirty and focused on their appearance.

Pupil B was also invited to Mr Batterham's home where they kissed and he asked them to have sex with him.

In their decision the panel concluded the teacher had "exploited vulnerable pupils for his own sexual gratification".

They banned him from teaching indefinitely stating he presented a "real and ongoing risk" to pupils.

A spokesperson for The Leys School said the historic abuse "is obviously something that we take extremely seriously".

The school said it immediately suspended Mr Batterham and liaised with police and other agencies.

"Whilst the incidents took place a number of years ago, they are no less painful for those who came forward to bring to light what had happened to them.

"Their bravery in doing so is commendable, " the school added.

The school said, although no fault was found with its process, it had reviewed safeguarding policies and processes to ensure it retained high professional standards.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary confirmed it had investigated in 2019 but said it did not meet the threshold for further action at the time.

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [e-mail]