Yorkshire teacher who told colleague he had 'filthy dream' about them avoids ban

David Abbott resigned from his role at The Venn Boulevard Centre, in Hull, in November 2020, after two members of staff made complaints about his behaviour.

He sent 23 messages to one colleague, between 1.40am and 2.40am on February 29 in 2020, and attempted to ring and video call them.

On another night, in October 2020, he sent several messages to another colleague, including one which said he had recently had “a filthy” dream about them.

The colleague said they “felt harassed”’, “really uncomfortable” and “really awkward” after receiving the messages.

Mr Abbott was called in for a formal interview with senior school staff in October 2020, after complaints were made, and he denied sending inappropriate messages and said he was “100 per cent innocent”.

He was suspended, but resigned the following month before he could face a disciplinary hearing.

A Teaching Regulation Agency misconduct panel reviewed the case and criticised Mr Abbott’s “unacceptable professional conduct”, after it looked at screenshots of the messages and spoke to colleagues.

According to the panel, it was “inappropriate and unprofessional” for him to send those messages to colleagues but there was no “serious misconduct”.

But it also found he committed “serious” misconduct when he “deliberately and knowingly gave false responses” during the interview with senior school staff.

The panel concluded it would not be “proportionate” to ban him from teaching, as “the nature and severity” of his behaviour were “at the less serious end of the possible spectrum”.

It also said the teacher had “a previously good history”, he clearly regretted behaviour and his actions did not have any impact on pupils at the school.