Dudley teacher banned from the classroom for life (From Dudley News)

Dudley teacher banned from the classroom for life

3:00pm Thursday 28th February 2013 in Local

A DUDLEY teacher has been banned from ever entering the classroom again after he was jailed for possessing over 700 sickening indecent images and movies of young children.

Gregory Worwood, of Himley Road, was given the lifetime prohibition order by Education Secretary Michael Gove earlier this month, after being imprisoned for 18 months at Wolverhampton Crown Court in July 2012.

Backing a recommendation of The Teaching Agency, Mr Gove also ruled 26 year-old Worwood “shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach” due to the seriousness of the charges.

Worwood, who taught history at St Edmunds Catholic School in Wolverhampton, admitted nine charges of possessing indecent photographs of children and another of distributing images over a three year period during the court hearing last year.

In total, 320 of the 730 images and movies were found to be at the worst category, with 15 videos including animals.

In its report, The Teaching Agency’s Professional Conduct Panel said the lifetime ban recommendation was in the public interest due to the length of time the offences were carried out for.

The report states: “We are driven to the conclusion that he cannot be allowed to return to the teaching profession under any circumstances. We have a duty to the public particularly to ensure that pupils with whom he may come into contact in the future must be protected” concluding “In our judgement Mr Worwood is wholly ill equipped to work with children.”

The prohibition order, issued on February 15, bans Worwood from teaching indefinitely in any school, sixth form college, youth accommodation or children’s home in England.