Teacher's life ban over his 'sexually motivated' actions against pupils and staff

ALLEGATIONS INCLUDE TOUCHING PUPILS AND KISSING A COLLEAGUE ON SCHOOL PREMISES

- By RUCSANDRA MOLDOVEANU

A FORMER deputy head teacher of a Nottinghamshire school has been banned from teaching for life following a string of “sexually motivated” actions against three pupils and one member of staff.

A Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel found that Simon Graves, 52, behaved inappropriately between 2009 and 2014 while working at Carlton le Willows Academy in Gedling.

The panel published its report on Tuesday, stating Mr Graves has been banned indefinitely from teaching due to his actions. Allegations of sexual assault were also brought in 2018, with Mr Graves arrested in December the same year.

A criminal case was brought against him but, in July 2021, he was found not guilty by a jury at Nottingham Crown Court.

The TRA panel found that between September 2010 and July 2014, Mr Graves was alone in his car with a student, referred to as Student A, and touched and/or rubbed her leg on more than one occasion.

This happened while he was driving her home, with the panel told that two other students would also be driven home.

The student said she eventually stopped accepting rides from Mr Graves in her later years at school partly due to rumours about him and feeling “increasingly uncomfortable” as she got older. Another allegation was made that Mr Graves touched and/or rubbed the student's leg on more than one occasion in his office but this was not proved by the panel.

A number of allegations were made by a second student, Student B. She said that on one occasion, she was in Mr Graves' office when he put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her.

The student described the kiss as “not a peck” and stated “I didn’t stop him, I wish I did, I would now”. The incident took place between April 2010 and January 2011. Mr Graves denied the allegation but the panel found on the balance of probabilities it was proven.