Warrington teacher banned for sending sexual messages to pupil

Craig Ward was a PE teacher at Padgate Academy in Warrington

A teacher who repeatedly sent sexual messages to a pupil has been banned for life from the profession.

Craig Ward, 36, who was a PE teacher at Padgate Academy in Warrington, admitted the "inappropriate" messages, often sent late at night, had "failed to maintain appropriate boundaries".

Mr Ward's actions were deliberate and sexually motivated, a Teaching Regulation Agency panel found.

He has been struck off indefinitely and is not allowed to apply to return.

The panel heard he sent messages to a student, known only as Pupil A, on Facebook Messenger.

He had used swear words and referred to sexual acts, asking him to sleep with him, saying it would be the "night of his life" and promising "no-one needs to know".

Mr Ward told him he could have the "best summer hide out" and assured him he was "not looking for owt serious".

'Complete disregard'

He had also sent the boy to the shops to buy things for him and given him lifts in his car, and encouraged him and another pupil to drink alcohol, the panel heard.

The messages were reported to Cheshire Police in July 2017. The school carried out an investigation but Mr Ward resigned from his post on 7 January 2019, the day before he was due to attend a disciplinary meeting.

In his school interview, Pupil A said he had thought Mr Ward "was probably a bit drunk" when he first got messages with swearing in them.

But when he later got sexual messages saying "you can trust me" he said he felt "those were the worst messages... after all those years developing a relationship... because you know he's not blagging it".

The panel said Mr Ward continued to pursue Pupil A after he had sent a clear message declining his advances, "showing complete disregard for his rights not to be harassed".

Banning him from teaching indefinitely, panel chair Sue Buxey said: "In view of the seriousness of the allegations found proved against him, I have decided that Mr Ward shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach."