Dudley teacher banned for life from teaching after sending ‘explicit’ images to pupils

A Dudley primary school teacher has been banned from teaching for life after sending explicit images to pupils on platforms including Snapchat.

Ashley Nixon was found to have sent sexually explicit photos to two former pupils at Peters Hill Primary School in Brierley Hill, and also requested an illicit image from one of the pupils.

The 31-year-old worked at the school between 2016 and 2022, but was suspended from the school in October 2021 after claiming he regularly communicated with former students of the school on social media.

On October 29, a Teaching Regulatory Agency misconduct panel heard Nixon regularly communicated with the two men, sending them explicit photos and was questioned by West Midlands Police following the allegations.

The panel also heard how the two children became friends with Nixon on the social media site Snapchat, with one of them having a “101 day streak” with Nixon, meaning an image or message was been exchanged between them during this period.

It also saw photos of the call log between another child and Nixon, with 17 video or audio calls recorded over four days, while the committee also examined allegations that illicit photographs and videos were sent to the two children, including a photo of a man lying on his back. in front and showing her bare buttocks.

Other photos showed a pair of boxers being opened, while one of the children told police three or four photos had been sent to him on different occasions.

Nixon admitted to sending a photo of his buttocks and a video of his genitals to one child, but claimed they were intended for an adult friend, while he denied sending explicit images to the other child .

However, the panel said it did not accept the hypothesis that Nixon sent the messages inadvertently and also noted that the photograph and video would have to be sent separately, making it implausible that Nixon could send two inappropriate images to the wrong person.

Nixon was also found guilty of sending explicit photos to a child and also guilty of inviting the two pupils to visit his new home and found his conduct “to fall considerably below the standards expected of the profession”.

The panel, on behalf of the Secretary of State, decided that he should never be allowed to teach again.

A statement on behalf of the Secretary of State said: “For these reasons, I have concluded that a restraining order is proportionate and in the public interest in order to achieve the objectives sought to be imposed by a restraining order.

“I then considered the issue of a review period. In this case, the panel recommended that no provision be made for a review period.

“I have considered the panel’s comments. “The notice states that there are behaviors which, if proven, would militate against recommending a review period.

“One of the behaviors described included any sexual misconduct involving a child.

“The panel concluded that Mr. Nixon’s conduct amounted to sexual misconduct involving a child and that it was likely to cause significant harm to Child 1 and Child 2.”

“In this case, there are factors that make allowing a review period insufficient to achieve the objective of maintaining public confidence in the profession.

“These elements are the seriousness of the findings and the lack of full understanding or remorse.

“I therefore consider that the absence of a review period is necessary to maintain public confidence and is proportionate and in the public interest.

“This means that Mr Ashley Nixon is banned from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth home or 26-child home in England.

“Furthermore, given the seriousness of the allegations against him, I have determined that Mr. Nixon would not be entitled to seek reinstatement of his teaching eligibility.”