Cardiff teaching assistant convicted of drug dealing banned from schools

Siobhan Rowan worked at Woodlands High in Cardiff and was convicted of offering to supply cocaine and possession of cannabis with intent to supply. Credit: Media Wales

A special school teaching assistant has been banned from her classrom after she was found guilty of drug dealing.

Siobhan Rowan, who worked at Woodlands High in Cardiff, was convicted of offering to supply cocaine and possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

She received a suspended sentence at Cardiff Crown Court, was ordered to do community service and has now been struck off the register by the Education Workforce Council (EWC).

Rowan, who was employed to work at Woodlands through the Teacher Active agency, did not attend the remote hearing on Thursday 19 October.

She was not represented and did not enter any pleas, had not engaged in the process, and showed no obvious insight or remorse, said panel chair Peter Owen.

The committee was told that Rowan was convicted at Cardiff Crown Court on 3 May last year and on 27 May was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months and ordered to carry out an eight-day rehabilitation activity and 180 hours unpaid work.

The EWC Wales panel heard the offences did not happen during school time and did not involve pupils but could still have had an impact on them.

Rowan was struck off the EWC register and cannot apply to rejoin for two years. Credit: Media Wales

Her convictions – possession of cannabis with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cannabis, offering to supply cocaine, and offering to supply a Class B drug – were put before the EWC panel to decide whether her registration as a teaching assistant could continue.

The panel found all the allegations proven and found that together they amounted to “a relevant offence” meaning a conviction in the United Kingdom for a criminal offence other than one having no material relevance to a person’s fitness to be registered with the EWC Wales.

Rowan was struck off the EWC register and cannot apply to rejoin for two years. If she does she will have to convince a new EWC panel of her rehabilitation and fitness to work as a teaching assistant again.

Panel chair Mr Owen said: “Miss Rowan’s behaviour was unacceptable. It had no impact on learners and took place outside school but had the potential to impact learners.

"There was no evidence of remorse or insight or engagement with these proceedings. She is subject to a suspended custodial sentence.”

Rowan has the right to appeal the EWC Wales decision to the High Court within 28 days.

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