Scunthorpe teacher banned for sex with ex-pupil

Mark Thompson originally denied a relationship with the former pupil when questioned by the school.

A teacher who sexted a former pupil and referred to the pair's relationship as his "little secret" has been banned from the classroom.

Mark Thompson, 31, swapped increasingly explicit Snapchat messages and photos with the girl before they met for sex.

A disciplinary panel heard the maths teacher, formerly of St Bede's Catholic Voluntary Academy, Scunthorpe, asked her to call him "Sir" in texts.

He was given a lifetime ban from teaching.

'Little puppet'

The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) was told Mr Thompson first contacted the pupil in 2018 and within a week the conversations had become sexual.

He and the girl, who was over 16, had "intermittent" sexual contact over a number of months.

In her evidence to the panel, the former pupil said Mr Thompson would ask to be called "Sir", referred to her as his "little puppet", and asked her to dress in a "slutty" way.

He also asked her to bring drugs when they met, she told the hearing, going on to add her affection had turned to hatred when she looks back on what happened.

'Position of power'

The school launched an internal investigation, during which Mr Thompson denied having a relationship with the girl, before it alerted the watchdog to the case.

Mr Thompson, who resigned in September 2019, admitted most of the allegations at the Teachers Regulation Authority (TRA) hearing.

The panel acknowledged the relationship had taken place while the girl was no longer at the school but noted that Mr Thompson had tried to reinforce the pupil and teacher relationship.

They said: "There was no other reason for him to tell her to call him 'Sir', other than to reinforce his status as a teacher, and his position of power in the relationship. "

His behaviour was "inherently serious and that amounted to unacceptable professional conduct, " the panel ruled.

In a witness statement which the panel said was "self-serving" and lacking remorse, Mr Thompson said he had become unwell due to the ongoing proceedings of the disciplinary hearing.

The panel found Mr Thompson had breached standards through misconduct, abuse of position or trust, dishonesty and sexual misconduct.