Teacher banned over indecent images of children

A supply art teacher has been banned from the profession for life after he was convicted of making indecent photographs of children.

Jeremy Gibbs, 60, who taught in a school in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, was arrested in September 2023 under suspicion of possessing indecent images of children on several devices.

In 2024 he was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court to six months in prison, which was suspended for 18 months, and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed for five years.

Marc Cavey, the decision maker on the Teaching Regulatory Authority panel, banned Gibbs from teaching in schools, sixth forms, college or relevant youth accommodation in England.

Gibbs was also sentenced to attend up to 40 days of rehabilitation activity and to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

The professional conduct panel, which met on 28 January, said Gibbs' actions were relevant to teaching, working with children and working in an education setting as the victims of his offending behaviour were young children who had been recorded being sexually abused.

In a statement, Gibbs, who had mainly taught secondary and sixth form students, told the panel he was "deeply ashamed of my conduct" and "want to apologise for any disrepute that I may have caused the teaching profession".

The panel said the statement did not make any reference to the victims of his offences and "any remorse shown was superficial in its nature".

Therefore the statement demonstrated a poor level of insight into his offending behaviour, the panel added.

The panel referred to the statutory guidance to schools on safeguarding principles called Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023.

"Mr Gibbs' actions were the opposite of this fundamental principle," said the panel.

The panel also said Gibbs would not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach.

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