Teacher Banned After Conviction for Assaulting Student Under 14

Neil Butler, who was employed at Orwell Park School in Nacton, was reported to the police in October 2021 following allegations of sexual abuse involving a pupil from his previous school, Rose Hill in Alderley, where he taught between 1993 and 1996.

Butler was suspended by Orwell Park School when the school learned of the allegations in December 2021, and he left the school on July 15, 2022.

In April 2024, a professional conduct panel convened by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) to examine the case on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education. Butler was found guilty of gross indecency with a girl under 14 and three counts of indecent assault at Gloucester Crown Court. He was sentenced to 24 months' imprisonment, suspended for 24 months, along with 300 hours of unpaid community work. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and ordered to pay £10,000 in compensation.

The TRA said: "The panel noted that these actions relate to activity on a school trip and on the school premises."

The panel determined that the allegations were substantiated and confirmed that Butler had been under disciplinary scrutiny at Rose Hill School during his tenure there, pointing to breaches of the school's policies and standards at the time.

Though the Teachers' Standards had not been established at the time of the offenses, the panel emphasized that teachers were still expected to refrain from engaging in sexual activity with pupils, especially considering the girl's age and the fact that such conduct was illegal then and remains so now.

The panel expressed serious concerns about safeguarding and the welfare of pupils, given the gravity of the offenses, and noted that failure to address such behavior could significantly erode public confidence in the teaching profession. The panel stated that Butler’s actions were entirely incompatible with the standards expected of educators and that he had abused his position of trust.

After considering the case, the panel concluded that the public interest in protecting the integrity of the teaching profession far outweighed any reason to allow Butler to continue working as a teacher. As a result, they recommended an indefinite prohibition order with no option for a review.

This decision means that Neil Butler is banned from teaching in any school, sixth form, college, youth accommodation, or children's home across England, and he will not be eligible to apply for reinstatement.

A teacher from a school near Ipswich has been permanently banned from teaching after being convicted of indecent assault and gross indecency with a girl under the age of 14.

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