A perverted teacher who sexually touched a schoolgirl during a “15-month affair” has been suspended for life. Aimee Jones was working at a school in Darlington when she was arrested by police officers and taken for questioning.
The 36-year-old began serving an eight-month prison sentence last November after admitting four times to abusing a position of trust by engaging in sexual activity with a girl aged between 13 and 17 who was being cared for at school.
The mother, who was on the sex offender registry for 10 years, is now banned from teaching indefinitely after a misconduct panel met this month.
The panel “considered that public confidence in the profession could be seriously undermined if conduct such as that found against Mrs Jones was not treated with the utmost seriousness”.
Following a recommendation in favor of an injunction from the panel, Alan Meyrick, decision maker for the Secretary of State, said: “Mrs Aimee Jones is banned from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach at any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.
“Furthermore, in view of the seriousness of the charge brought against her, I have decided that Ms. Aimee Jones has no right to apply for reinstatement of her fitness to teach.”
Teesside Crown Court previously heard how Jones initially approached her victim at school, telling the teenager she was bisexual and that she had “feelings of attraction to her”.
The pair then began text messaging — messages that were described as not overtly sexual, but were “talkative, polite and pleasant” — but made it clear that Jones was interested in her victim.
Months after first contact, the pair met in a park in Sedgefield and held hands. They walked in remote areas of the park and sat in Jones’ car where they kissed, hugged and on one occasion both took off their outerwear.
Jones knew she was taking risks and continued to educate her victim during the period of abuse. The extent of her crimes came to light when her husband began to suspect she was having an affair.
The mother of one child, who lived in Richmond, North Yorks, initially lied claiming she was having an affair with a female teaching assistant at the school and tried to persuade the school to pretend there was a fictitious teaching assistant to get her husband off to startle…although it was assumed that this would not hinder the police investigation.
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Documents from the Teaching Regulation Authority detail how Jones was on school grounds when she was arrested by officers and made full confessions during an interview.
The disgraced former teacher did not attend the hearing and did not offer any mitigating circumstances.
The panel ruled that Jones’s actions were intentional and there was no evidence that she acted under extreme duress.
Despite comments on the sentencing from Judge Chris Smith stating that there is “nothing to suggest that, apart from this offense, you were anything but a respected and good teacher”, no evidence was presented to show that Jones had exceptionally high standards in her personal or professional life. behaviour.
There was also no evidence that she contributed significantly to the education sector. Misconduct documents state: “The panel felt that the ban was both proportionate and appropriate.
“The panel concluded that public interest considerations outweigh Ms Jones’ interests. The extremely serious nature of Ms Jones’ crimes and the fact that they involved sexual activity, sexual communication with a child and an inappropriate relationship with a child were important factors in forming that opinion.
“Accordingly, the panel made a recommendation to the Secretary of State to impose a ban with immediate effect.”
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Jones has violated the following standards:
Teachers must maintain public trust in the profession and uphold high standards of ethics and behavior both inside and outside the school by treating students with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times maintaining the observe appropriate boundaries and take into account the need to safeguard the well-being of students
Teachers must understand and act within the legal frameworks that define their professional duties and responsibilities
Jones has the right to appeal to the King’s Bench Division of the High Court within 28 days from the date of notice of this order.