The former deputy headteacher of a school in Rochdale has been banned from the profession for life after he was convicted of child cruelty towards two pupils.

Last month, the Teaching Regulation Agency weighed up the case of Kevin Jones, the former deputy headteacher of Brownhill Learning Community School in Rochdale, where he held the role for more than 17 years.

The now 57-year-old declined the opportunity to attend the hearing, writing to the panel that it was "so long ago now that the incident happened, and it is too upsetting to go through again".

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Satisfied that the hearing could go ahead without Mr Jones, the panel discussed how the deputy head was convicted at crown court for two counts of child cruelty relating to incidents involving two children on February 14, 2020.

It was alleged that Mr Jones "inappropriately intervened" in an incident, where he "wrapped his arm" around the neck of a boy, identified as Pupil A, then held his arm behind his back and lifted him off the floor before taking him to the reflection room.

The boy sustained redness and marks around his neck.

It is then alleged that, a short while later, Mr Jones used "disproportionate force" on another child, Pupil B, after he entered the reflection room as he "pointed for him to sit in the corner" before taking his arms and crossing them over his body and using his left leg to "pin" him in the corner.

Mr Jones pleaded guilty to two offences of child cruelty before Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court on May 17, 2022.

The panel heard from a transcript of the hearing. 

During his sentencing on June 21, 2022, the court heard Mr Jones had tried to blame Pupil A for causing his own injuries, relying on the students' history of self-harm to "conceal" his offending, but CCTV footage revealed the truth.

The judge said Mr Jones had been in a "position of power" in the school and that other teachers had been managing bad behaviour on the day of the incident when he "needlessly intervened".

The judge described the CCTV footage of the incidents as "truly shocking" as the deputy head "lost" his "temper" while Pupil A was visibly in "distress".

Then when Pupil B entered the room, the footage shows Mr Jones "behaved towards him in a cruel way" when the boy "was not doing anything at all other than walking into the room".

The judge said these "acts of cruelty" were "totally needless" and "senseless" which adversely affected the two boys, as shown by Pupil A who told his mum what had happened when he got home.

She continued: "The effect of such cruelty can have lifetime consequences, particularly for youngsters who are struggling, and it seems that [Pupil A] has, or likely has, a diagnosis of ADHD."

Speaking to Mr Jones, the judge also said the offence against Pupil A is "aggravated" because "you blamed [him] for the red marks on his neck as a way to save your own skin".

The judge added: "In your position of power and authority you relied on his history of self-harm in an attempt to conceal your own offending, no doubt in the belief that the boy would not be believed but, of course, the CCTV gave lie to your denials.

"The offence was also aggravated because it was committed in the presence of another child."

In mitigation, the judge weighed up that the offences were "out of character" for Mr Jones and recognised the deputy head had worked in the area "for a long time with distinction".

However, Mr Jones was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment, suspended for 24 months for each offence, and was ordered to carry out a rehabilitation activity for 10 days as well as 210 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay £3,500 in prosecution costs and a victim surcharge of £149.

The judge concluded: "You have lost your career and reputation and the offences themselves were short-lived, although I have no doubt the consequences to the children will not be.” 

Mr Jones resigned from his position at the school as of August 16, 2022.

The Teaching Regulation Agency subsequently reached a verdict that Mr Jones "fell significantly short of the standards expected", having breached several of the teacher's standards, including safeguarding, treating pupils with dignity and upholding public trust in the profession.

Mr Jones had been trained in 'team teach' strategies to deal with misbehaving and aggressive pupils which the panel said he "failed to follow" on these occasions.

The panel ultimately recommended that he should be prohibited from the profession for life without any subject to review.

David Oatley, the decision-maker acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, noted how the panel had not commented on the former teacher's remorse.

A police interview discussed in court revealed Mr Jones did not say that there had been "any factor which triggered his behaviour", which Mr Oatley considered as a "lack of evidence of insight and remorse".

Mr Oatley said this means Mr Jones poses "some risk" over his behaviour and the future wellbeing of pupils.

In his verdict, he said Mr Jones is officially prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children's home in England.

Mr Jones is also unable to apply for a review to restore his eligibility to teach.

Got a story? Email me Olivia.bridge@newsquest.co.uk