A FORMER teacher from Cam jailed for child sexual offences has been indefinitely banned from teaching.
Thomas Hancock, aged 31, sexually abused two teenage girls aged 16 and 17 who were pupils at the school where he taught.
Hancock was a teacher at the school from September 2014 to March 2021 when he was arrested and suspended.
He later pleaded guilty to sexual assault and sexual assault (on multiple occasions) in a position of trust on the 17-year-old at Bristol Crown Court in June 2021.
He also pleaded guilty to causing or inciting a child to look at sexual activity, and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, in a position of trust, on the 16-year-old.
Hancock was jailed for 16 months, placed on the Sex Offenders register for 10 years and a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order was issued.
A teacher misconduct panel was recently held by the Teaching Regulation Agency to decide whether Hancock should be allowed to return to teaching.
Hancock did not attend the hearing.
The panel report reads: "Although the panel did not have sight of messages sent from Mr Hancock to the pupils, the sentencing remarks refer to a vast amount of inappropriate, sexual communication from Mr Hancock to a pupil of an intimidating nature.
"The sentencing remarks also stated that, in communication with one of the pupils, Mr Hancock had referred to his ability to 'massage' her grades."
The report continues: "The panel noted that this was not a one off incident, with Mr Hancock having engaged in an inappropriate relationship with two pupils.
"The panel noted that the pupils were considered vulnerable and Mr Hancock had abused his position of trust.
"Mr Hancock's actions were deliberate. He had engaged in an inappropriate relationship with not one but two pupils.
While Hancock accepted responsibility for his actions, the panel states it was unable to assess his "level of insight or remorse".
Deciding on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, Sarah Buxcey agreed to bar Hancock from teaching without the possibility of a future review.
Ms Buxcey said: "The panel finds that the conduct of Mr Hancock fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession.
"In my judgement, the lack of evidence of full insight or remorse means that there is some risk of the repetition of this behaviour and this puts at risk the future wellbeing of pupils. "
The results of the panel's findings were published on Friday, March 15.
You can read the panel’s outcome in full here - tinyurl.com/3db5sxej
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