Former Kettering teacher banned over chatroom incest discussion

A former Kettering maths teacher has been struck off after engaging in sick conversation about incest in an online chatroom.

Paul Allan worked at Bishop Stopford School when he was arrested in June 2017 after unknowingly speaking to an undercover police officer.

He was suspended the same day by school bosses and, after an investigation, Northamptonshire Police took no further taken against the 52-year-old.

But, after a Teaching Regulation Agency hearing which took place in August and December, he’s now been banned from teaching indefinitely.

A report published by decision maker John Knowles yesterday (Monday) said: “Although there is no evidence of any child having been harmed by Mr Allan’s conduct, by his behaviour he would risk encouraging this.”

Mr Allan had been employed by the Headlands school as a supply teacher between December 2014 and July 2015, and then as a maths teacher until August 2017.

He admitted engaging in a discussion on an internet website relating to incest after speaking with an undercover police officer in chatroom “FatherFiguresUK” on platform Chatstep. The police investigation tracked the IP address to his home.

The panel read the Chatstep log and some of the comments which were made.

Mr Knowles’ report said: "Mr Allan confirmed that he had enjoyed adult chat with other adults on adult websites and that conversations tended to go with the flow of the interests of both parties and could touch upon many aspects of adult sexuality. He accepted that the Chatstep log touched on what could be described as an inappropriate topic.”

It added: "He was willing to have a discussion with others that involved children being the subject of an abusive sexual relationship with a family member.”

Mr Allan denied that his behaviour was of a sexual nature or sexually motivated but the case against him was found proved.

The report also revealed that, when his laptop was forensically examined, police found 93 images depicting bestiality in user inaccessible areas.

Mr Allan said that he had never knowingly accessed bestiality images and that he had inherited this device from someone else, who he knew tended to have refurbished computers. The panel did not find it more probable than not that he had accessed them.

The police forensic examination report said that no indecent images of children were found.

Mr Knowles said the panel was satisfied that Mr Allan’s conduct fell ‘significantly short’ of the conduct expected of a teacher.

He said: "He continues to have an interest in understanding the psychology of paedophiles. He has described himself as ‘lending a sympathetic but discouraging ear’ to those who engage in such behaviour given that there is no legal outlet for their sexual predilections.”

The report added that he lacked the appreciation that exploring this in online behaviour was potentially harmful and that his lack of insight meant there was a risk of repetition, putting the wellbeing of pupils at risk.

It said: “He did not believe those children referred to in exchanges were real individuals and failed to make any connection between such online activity and the safeguarding of children.”

Mr Knowles said that, in view of the seriousness of the allegations found proved against him, he had decided that Mr Allan will not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach.

A spokesman for Bishop Stopford School told the Northants Telegraph: “When a concern of this nature is raised, the academy takes swift action in line with our safeguarding policies and procedures.

"These policies are updated regularly in line with statutory guidance from the Department for Education.

"All of our staff and governors are trained to identify and report safeguarding concerns.

"The safety of every child in our community will always be of paramount importance.”