Church suspends music director after teaching ban

A church has suspended its director of music after he was banned from teaching over a relationship with one of his former school pupils.

Louis Stockton, 32, had been working as a teacher at Cheltenham Ladies' College in Gloucestershire and also held a role at St Peter's Collegiate Church in Wolverhampton.

A Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel found he exchanged social media messages with the former pupil from the school, went to a pub with her and shared a bed at her university accommodation on separate occasions in 2023.

While she was 18 at the time, the panel found Stockton's actions amounted to a failure to maintain appropriate professional boundaries after her departure from school.

None of the complaints were said to relate to his role at St Peter's.

Stockton had described the relationship with the then teenager as "platonic", the panel heard.

It found, though, he had "deliberately lied" to school leaders on separate occasions when asked about his contact with the former pupil.

While the panel noted his remorse and low risk of repeating his behaviour, it was ruled that his dishonesty meant he should be barred from the profession.

He is now prohibited from teaching indefinitely in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children's home in England, but may apply for the prohibition order to be set aside from 29 January 2028.

The church said Stockton was removed from contact with children and young people following publication of the TRA's finding.

A statement from the church said it had "moved swiftly" to suspend him after learning of the ruling.

"Having suspended Mr Stockton, the Parochial Church Council will immediately take forward church safeguarding processes in conjunction with the Lichfield Diocese's safeguarding team to review the impact of Mr Stockton's tenure and undertake risk assessments," the statement read.

"The parish will also carry out the obligatory employer's investigation process as swiftly as possible. There is a legal process which must be followed."

The Ven Liz Jackson, archdeacon of Walsall, said the church was "grateful" that Stockton's conduct had come to light and allowed them to take "prompt action".

"We hold those affected in our prayers," she added.

The BBC has contacted Mr Stockton's solicitor for comment.

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