A teaching assistant has been banned from the classroom after being cautioned by police for disclosing or threatening to disclose private sexual images with intent to cause distress. Aaron Dean Phillips, who was employed at Ysgol Penglais in Aberysywyth, failed to inform the Education Workforce Council Wales that he had accepted the police caution. Mr Phillips claimed he was coerced into signing the caution without all available facts.
During a professional standards committee hearing, Mr Phillips stated he was told by solicitors and police that he did not need to inform the council about the caution as they would handle it on his behalf. However, the council did not accept this explanation and found four allegations against Mr Phillips to be proven, constituting unacceptable professional conduct.
The committee found that Mr Phillips had accepted a caution from Dyfed-Powys Police for disclosing private sexual images on a specific date while working at Ysgol Penglais. Despite Mr Phillips claiming he was coerced into signing the caution and not informing the council as advised, the committee ruled the allegations of dishonesty and lacking integrity to be proven.
The panel decided to strike Mr Phillips off the Education Workforce Council Wales register, prohibiting him from seeking reinstatement for two years. The committee highlighted his lack of remorse, failure to take responsibility for his actions, and combative attitude. Despite acknowledging his previous good conduct and the challenging circumstances he faced, they emphasized Mr Phillips’s deep-seated attitudinal problem.
Mr Phillips has the right to appeal the decision within 28 days to the High Court. The committee’s decision to strike him off the register was based on his unacceptable professional conduct, including accepting a caution for disclosing private sexual images and failing to inform the council about it, which was deemed as dishonest and lacking integrity.