Burton teacher who had sex with 'vulnerable' pupil in PE storeroom banned from teaching

051023 - BURTON TEACHER - ITV News Central - BPM - Ellen Knight
Michael Pedley had been a teacher at the now-closed Needwood School for the Partial Hearing Credit: BPM

Warning: Some readers may find the details in this article upsetting

A former teacher who had sex with a vulnerable pupil and made another inhale a chemical that knocked her unconscious has been banned from teaching.

Michael Pedley had been a teacher at the now-closed Needwood School for the Partial Hearing near Burton-on-Trent at the time of the abuse in the 1980s.

Pedley had denied a series of sexual assaults said to have taken place while he was head of PE and science.

During two criminal trials in 2017 and 2018, he was acquitted of all charges.

Pedley, 67, faced 17 allegations relating to his time at Needwood School, which was based at Rangemore Hall in Burton.

The allegations were put before a Teacher Regulation Agency (TRA) Fitness Professional Conduct Panel, which has now reported its findings.

The entrance to Rangemore Hall, which has since been converted into flats Credit: Google Street View

Amongst the allegations the panel found to be 'proven' was that Pedley had sex with a "vulnerable" pupil in the PE storeroom.

The pupil, who gave her evidence through a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter, said that Pedley had told her to enter the storeroom, then followed her in, locked the door and covered the windows.The teacher was reported to have asked her to get onto a gym mat, before climbing on top of her and having sex with her.

The student said Pedley "did not say anything to her" and that "she just froze." He then "got dressed and acted as if nothing had happened", she told the panel.

In an email sent to a friend in 2015, which was read out during the hearing, the girl said: "I don’t remember giving consent about it, but I did not fight back. I just went along with it. He was being nice and sort of groomed me."

The panel also found an allegation Pedley touched the girl's breast in the school corridor to be 'proven.'Another allegation found to be 'proven' came from another girl, whom Pedley had told to inhale a substance he had poured onto a cloth during a science lesson.

The report states: "After sniffing the cloth again, [the pupil] said she felt the room was spinning, could not see properly and was unsteady on her feet.

"When she tried to write her name, her handwriting was dreadful and all the other pupils were laughing at her."

A further statement found to be 'unproven' alleged that Pedley groped the pupil whilst she was unconscious.

Other allegations the TRA panel said were 'not proven' included that Mr Pedley:

  • Engaged in inappropriate physical contact towards a pupil, including by penetrating her with his penis without her consent whilst she showered in the PE changing rooms.

  • Engaged in inappropriate behaviour towards a pupil, including by: requesting he take his clothes off whilst in the PE storeroom; requesting that another pupil masturbate him while in the science preparation room.

  • Engaged in inappropriate physical contact and/or inappropriate behaviour towards a pupil, including by: inserting his fingers into the boy's anus; inserting his penis into his anus; rubbing another pupil's testicles; touching a pupil's bottom; masturbating him and/or requesting that he masturbate himself on one or more occasions; placing a chemical on his penis while in the science storeroom; pushing his head under water whilst he was bathing.

  • Engaged in inappropriate physical contact towards a pupil after she had left Needwood School, including by attending her home and kissing and cuddling her.

Pedley went on to become a head teacher and special needs consultant. He denied all the allegations put to the panel.Marc Cavey, who made the decision to ban Pedley from teaching on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education Gillian Keegan, referred to the panel's findings that his conduct "involved sexual abuse of vulnerable children who were particularly vulnerable because of their hearing impairment and being educated away from home."

Mr Cavey also quoted the panel's finding that: "Mr Pedley presented no mitigation to the panel. Mr Pedley's actions were deliberate.

"There was no evidence to suggest that he was acting under duress, and, in fact, the panel found that Mr Pedley's actions to be calculated and sexually motivated.”In his judgment, Mr Cavey said: "I have noted that the panel records that Mr Pedley appears to have no intention of returning to teaching.

"Nevertheless, in my judgment, the lack of evidence of insight and remorse means that there is some risk of the repetition of this behaviour. I have therefore given this element considerable weight in reaching my decision.

"Mr Michael Pedley has a right of appeal to the King’s Bench Division of the High Court within 28 days from the date he is given notice of this order."

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