Sex offence teacher "no risk"

A teacher who was dismissed after indecent images were found on his computer has today insisted he "never had any intention of returning to teaching".

RE teacher Geoffrey Bettley was dismissed from St Mary's Catholic School in Menston, in December 2011 after seizure of his computer in December 2010 found 143 level one images.

His story hit the headlines this week after it was revealed a disciplinary panel had deemed he did not pose a risk to children and should be able to resume his teaching career.

Controversial guidelines which deemed a disgraced West Yorkshire teacher fit to return to the classroom despite being caught with child abuse images are to be tightened up.

The Education Secretary Michael Gove has been under fire over the case of Geoffrey Bettley who officials decided should not be banned from the classroom even though he was cautioned and placed on the sex offenders register.

One of the government's senior ministers is under fire this evening for giving a teacher permission to return to the classroom - even though he was found with nearly 200 child abuse images on his computer.

We told you last night how Geoffrey Bettley was sacked as a Religious Education teacher from a school in West Yorkshire when the images were found on his computer. He was also given a police caution.

Today the Education secretary Michael Gove, who ultimately sanctioned the return to teaching, has been heavily criticised and his department is now investigating to see if the case was handled correctly.

The Department for Education has released a statement saying it is taking steps to make sure that anyone cautioned or prosecuted for offences related to child pornography is prevented from teaching.

Michael Gove has been attacked by a Conservative MP after his department ratified a decision to allow a West Yorkshire teacher who downloaded indecent images of children back into the classroom.

Philip Davies (Shipley) urged the Education Secretary to come to the Commons to explain himself after Geoffrey Bettley, 36, was reinstated as a teacher following the incident.

A decision to rule a West Yorkshire teacher fit to return to the classroom despite him possessing scores of indecent images of children is to be reviewed by the Department for Education.

Geoffrey Bettley was dismissed from his ten-year career at a Catholic school in West Yorkshire after he was cautioned by police when they discovered almost 200 child abuse images on his computer.

The Education Secretary has backed an official disciplinary watchdog which says he should no longer be bannned from teaching because he doesn't in their words "represent a risk to children and young people."

Today the department has given us this statement:

There's controversy surrounding a disgraced Religious Education teacher who's been ruled fit to return to the classroom despite being sacked for possessing scores of indecent images of children.

Geoffrey Bettley was dismissed from his ten-year career at a Catholic school in West Yorkshire after he was cautioned by police when they discovered almost 200 child abuse images on his computer.

But now the Education Secretary has backed an official disciplinary watchdog which says he should no longer be bannned from teaching because he doesn't in their words "represent a risk to children and young people." Jon Hill reports.