County Durham teacher banned for life over extreme porn

Jonathan Briggs has been banned because of the "seriousness of the offence and the lack of insight and remorse"

A teacher who downloaded pornographic images of children and animals has been banned from the profession.

Jonathan Briggs, 36, who was head of maths at North Durham Academy, pleaded guilty to possessing extreme images in October 2019.

The following month he was sentenced to a 12 month prison term, suspended for two years.

The Teaching Regulation Agency has ruled that Briggs will be prohibited from teaching indefinitely.

The order bans him from teaching at any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children's home in England.

He resigned from his job at the secondary school in Stanley four months after police raided his home and removed a number of electronic devices.

Briggs was charged with making indecent images and possession of extreme pornographic images of both children and animals.

"No apology"

The professional conduct panel found the disgraced tutor had not apologised for his behaviour.

It said although Briggs had accepted responsibility for the images, comments in the police report, which were seen by the panel, "indicated a failure to acknowledge the seriousness of his actions or the impact".

It found his conduct "fell significantly short of the standards expected of the teaching profession".

In banning him from teaching, the report concluded "it is necessary to impose a prohibition order in order to maintain public confidence in the profession".

Briggs has a right of appeal against the panel's decision but will not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach.