A recent incident involving a teacher, David Sweet, has shed light on his actions after he called in sick to avoid informing his school that he was going to court on a charge of threatening behaviour. Sweet, who later faced a separate charge of drink driving and was found guilty of both offences, had been teaching at Ysgol John Bright. He only disclosed the drink driving incident to the headteacher, Hywel Parry, after resigning from his position in 2022. This revelation led to an investigation by the Education Workforce Council (EWC).
During the EWC hearing, it was uncovered that Sweet had failed to inform the school of his earlier conviction for threatening behaviour while misleading them by reporting sick leave when he attended court on multiple occasions. Sweet’s actions were deemed unacceptable professional conduct, as they had put the public at risk and breached trust. The panel found him guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and imposed a reprimand on his registration as a teacher, which will remain on his record for two years.
Despite the seriousness of the offences, the panel acknowledged Sweet’s engagement with the proceedings, admission of the allegations, and efforts towards rehabilitation. They noted his remorse and the value he could bring to the teaching profession. Sweet has the right to appeal the decision within 28 days to the High Court.
The EWC hearing detailed the convictions against Sweet, including the charge of threatening behaviour in 2018 and the drink driving offence in 2022, both of which were deemed relevant to his fitness to teach. The panel also highlighted instances where Sweet provided inaccurate information to the school about his absence and failed to disclose his criminal convictions, actions that were found to be dishonest and lacking integrity.
Following the hearing, Sweet’s reprimand was announced, allowing him to continue teaching but with the disciplinary action recorded on his file. The EWC panel urged the teacher to uphold high professional standards and avoid any further breaches of conduct in the future.