Teacher sent explicit images from school's toilet

A primary school teacher from Lancashire who was caught sending sexually explicit images from the staff toilets has been banned from the profession indefinitely.

Ben Walker taught at Edisford Primary School in Clitheroe from 2016 until his resignation in 2023 when sexualised communications were discovered between him and a woman unconnected with the school.

The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) found the 38-year-old guilty of "unacceptable professional conduct" and banned him for life, although he can apply to have the order set aside in March 2028.

Walker has 28 days to appeal against the decision.

He admitted sending text messages, voice notes and an image from the main area of the male staff toilets on 13 July 2022.

The TRA panel said that since Walker had not been in a locked cubicle and there had been no lock on the door, if a child had inadvertently walked in "the harm to that child could have potentially been significant".

Walker accepted that, while lessons had ended for the day, there were still children present on site at an after-school club.

The panel said it was "satisfied that no children saw Mr Walker take the photos in question, nor is there any suggestion that any child heard Mr Walker making or receiving the sexualised voice note".

It found that while the "risk of children witnessing his activities was probably low, it cannot rule out there was at least some risk of exposing a child to harm by carrying out the activities on school premises".

The indefinite ban bars Walker from teaching in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children's home in England.

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