A school teaching assistant was cautioned by police for disclosing or threatening to disclose private sexual images with intent to cause distress. Aaron Dean Phillips, who was working at Ysgol Penglais in Aberysywyth at the time, has been banned from the classroom after failing to inform the body regulating education staff that he had accepted the police caution.
Mr Phillips claimed he was "coerced into signing" the caution and did so without all the available facts, a professional standards committee heard. The teaching assistant also said he was told by solicitors and police that he did not have to inform the Education Workforce Council Wales about the caution as they would do that for him, the panel was told.
An Education Workforce Council Wales committee, sitting remotely on September 3 and 4, did not accept this and found four allegations against Mr Phillips proved and that they amounted to unacceptable professional conduct. The teaching assistant did not attend the hearing and was not represented, although he did respond in writing. Join our WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone.
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The committee found it proved that while he was working at Ysgol Penglais on June 10, 2022 Mr Phillips accepted a caution from Dyfed-Powys Police for "disclose/threaten to disclose private sexual photographs and film with intent to cause distress" on January 2 of that year. Panel chair Andy Liptrot said during the EWC investigation the teaching assistant accepted the document but denied signing "with all available facts" and claimed he was "falsely coerced into signing" it.
In response to an allegation that he did not inform the EWC about the caution Mr Phillips said he had been told by police and solicitors that they would do this for him and that he'd been told "strictly not to do this", Mr Liptrot told the hearing. Despite that the committee found the allegation proved and that this also meant allegations that his conduct was dishonest and/or lacking in integrity were also found proved.
Mr Phillips did not accept the allegations of dishonesty and lack of integrity, the committee heard. Striking him off the EWC register the committee decided Mr Phillips won't be allowed to apply to be considered for re-instatement for two years.
Announcing the panel's decision to strike him off, Mr Liptrot said he had shown no regret or insight into his actions, had "sought to blame others" and had a "combative approach". He added: "The committee has concluded Mr Phillips has a deep seated attitudinal problem."
However, he added that the teaching assistant was of previous good conduct and character and has had no subsequent caution or convictions. His "challenging" professional and personal circumstances at the time had been taken into consideration.
Mr Phillips has the right of appeal to the High Court within 28 days.
The allegations, all of which were found proved, in full:
That Mr Phillips was guilty of ‘unacceptable professional conduct’ whilst employed as a teaching assistant in Ysgol Penglais in that:
