Mr David Amos

The Secretary of State does not make these decisions themselves. They are made by a senior official on the recommendation of an independent panel.

Teacher's name: Mr David Amos

Teacher reference number: 1477405

Teacher's date of birth: 08 July 1992

Location teacher worked: Sedgefield, North East of England

Date of professional conduct panel: 16 September 2024

Outcome type: Prohibition order

Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with The Teacher's’ Disciplinary (England) Regulations 2012, a professional conduct panel was convened to consider the case of Mr David Amos formerly employed in Sedgefield, North east of England

Teacher misconduct

Ground Floor, South

Cheylesmore House

5 Quinton RoadCoventryCV1 2WT

Email TRA.Casework@education.gov.uk

Telephone 020 7593 5393

Information about regulating the teaching profession and the process for dealing with serious teacher misconduct.

Mr David Amos: Professional conduct panel meeting outcome Panel decision and reasons on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education September 2024 2 Contents Introduction 3 Allegations 4 Preliminary applications 4 Summary of evidence 5 Documents 5 Statement of agreed facts 5 Decision and reasons 5 Findings of fact 5 Panel’s recommendation to the Secretary of State 8 Decision and reasons on behalf of the Secretary of State 11 3 Professional conduct panel decision and recommendations, and decision on behalf of the Secretary of State Teacher: Mr David Amos Teacher ref number: 1477405 Teacher date of birth: 08 July 1992 TRA reference: 21389 Date of determination: 16 September 2024 Former employer: Sedgefield Community College, Sedgefield Introduction A professional conduct panel (“the panel”) of the Teaching Regulation Agency (“the TRA”) convened on 16 September 2024, by virtual means, to consider the case of Mr David Amos. The panel members were Mr Alan Wells (former teacher panellist – in the chair), Mrs Shabana Robertson (lay panellist) and Mrs Christine Cunniffe (teacher panellist). The legal adviser to the panel was Mrs Luisa Gibbons of Evershed Sutherland (International) LLP solicitors. In advance of the meeting, after taking into consideration the public interest and the interests of justice, the TRA agreed to a request from Mr Amos that the allegations be considered without a hearing. Mr Amos provided a signed statement of agreed facts and admitted conviction of a relevant offence. The panel considered the case at a meeting without the attendance of the presenting officer, Ms Amicie Knowles of Kingsley Napley or Mr Amos. The meeting took place in private. 4 Allegations The panel considered the allegations set out in the notice of meeting dated 3 July 2024. It was alleged that Mr Amos was guilty of having been convicted of a relevant offence, in that: 1. Cause Child under 16 to watch a sexual act on 29 May 2020 Sexual Offences Act s12(1)(a) 2. Cause/Incite Sexual Activity with Female 13-17 Offender 18 or over abuse of position of trust on 28 May 2020 – 21 September 2020 Sexual Offences Act 2003 s17 (1)(e)(1) Mr Amos admitted having been convicted of the above offences and that these constituted convictions of a relevant offence. Preliminary applications On 9 September 2024, the presenting officer proposed an amendment to the provisions of the legislation cited in the allegations. On 12 September 2024, Mr Amos responded to confirm he had no objection to the amendments proposed. The panel noted that at any stage before making its decision as to whether the facts of the case have been proved, it may, if it is in the interests of justice to do so, amend an allegation. The panel noted that the description of the offences set out in the notice of meeting do not accurately record the provisions of the legislation recorded on the certificate of conviction. In relation to allegation 1, the certificate of conviction records that Mr Amos’s actions contravened section 12(1)(a),(b),(c)(i) and (2) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. In relation to allegation 2, the panel noted that the certificate of conviction states that Mr Amos’s actions contravened s17(1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. The panel considered this amendment to be of the nature of a typographical amendment rather than being one which, had it been notified earlier would have impacted Mr Amos’s defence (particularly since the statement of agreed facts included references to the provisions of legislation referred to in the certificate of conviction). The panel decided to amend the allegations as follows: “It was alleged that Mr Amos was guilty of having been convicted of a relevant offence, in that: 1. Cause Child under 16 to watch a sexual act on 29 May 2020 Sexual Offences Act s12(1)(a),(b),(c)(i) and (2); 5 2. Cause/Incite Sexual Activity with Female 13-17 Offender 18 or over abuse of position of trust on 28 May 2020 – 21 September 2020 Sexual Offences Act 2003 s17 (1)” Summary of evidence Documents In advance of the meeting, the panel received a bundle of documents which included: Section 1: Chronology and list of key people – pages 3 to 4 Section 2: Notice of referral, response and notice of meeting – pages 5 to 18 Section 3: Statement of agreed facts – pages 19 to 21 Section 4: Teaching Regulation Agency documents – pages 22 to 48 The panel members confirmed that they had read all of the documents within the bundle, in advance of the meeting. Statement of agreed facts The panel considered a statement of agreed facts which was signed by Mr Amos on 14 June 2024. The panel noted that the phrasing of the allegations to which Mr Amos admitted was slightly different to that in the notice of meeting, but the meaning and substance was the same. Decision and reasons The panel announced its decision and reasons as follows: The panel carefully considered the case and reached a decision. In advance of the meeting, the TRA agreed to a request from Mr Amos for the allegations to be considered without a hearing. The panel had the ability to direct that the case be considered at a hearing if required in the interests of justice or in the public interest. The panel did not determine that such a direction was necessary or appropriate in this case. Mr Amos was employed as a teacher at Sedgefield Community College (“the College”) from 3 January 2017. A police investigation was conducted. On 18 October 2022, Mr Amos left the employment of the College. Findings of fact The findings of fact are as follows: 6 The panel found the following particulars of the allegations against you proved, for these reasons: 1. Cause Child under 16 to watch a sexual act on 29 May 2020 Sexual Offences Act s12(1)(a),(b),(c)(i) and (2); 2. Cause/Incite Sexual Activity with Female 13-17 Offender 18 or over abuse of position of trust on 28 May 2020 – 21 September 2020 Sexual Offences Act 2003 s17 (1) Mr Amos completed a notice of referral form confirming he admitted the above allegations. Furthermore, in the statement of agreed facts, Mr Amos admitted that he was convicted of the above offences. The panel has seen a certificate of conviction confirming that on 20 September 2022, Mr Amos was convicted of the above offences. The certificate confirmed that Mr Amos was sentenced on 19 October 2022 to a total of 30 months’ imprisonment. He was required to register with the police indefinitely, a 10- year sexual harm prevention order was imposed and the forfeiture and destruction of his iPad and phone was ordered. The panel accepted the certificate of conviction as conclusive proof of both the convictions and the facts necessarily implied by the convictions. In the statement of agreed facts, Mr Amos has admitted that the victim of the offences was a pupil at the College and was under 16 years old. He admitted having approached the pupil by email and then having moved on to contact her by Snapchat. He admitted having sent three photographs of himself naked to the pupil and a video of himself masturbating and ejaculating. He also admitted having sent sexually explicit messages to the pupil and that he commented on [REDACTED]. Findings as to conviction of a relevant offence The panel was satisfied that the conduct of Mr Amos in relation to the facts it found proved, involved breaches of the Teachers’ Standards. The panel considered that by reference to Part 2, Mr Amos was in breach of the following standards: Teachers uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school, by o treating pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s professional position o having regard for the need to safeguard pupils’ well-being, in accordance with statutory provisions 7 o showing tolerance of and respect for the rights of others o not undermining fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law. Teachers must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach and maintain high standards in their own attendance and punctuality. Teachers must have an understanding of, and always act within, the statutory frameworks which set out their professional duties and responsibilities. The panel noted that Mr Amos’s actions were relevant to teaching, working with children and working in an education setting given that the victim of the offences was a pupil of the College in which Mr Amos taught. The panel noted that the behaviour involved in committing the offence would have been likely to have had an impact on the safety and security of this pupil. The panel also took account of the way the teaching profession is viewed by others. The panel considered that Mr Amos’s behaviour in committing the offence would be likely to affect public confidence in the teaching profession, if Mr Amos was allowed to continue teaching. The panel noted that Mr Amos’s behaviour ultimately led to a sentence of imprisonment, which was indicative of the seriousness of the offences committed, and which the Advice states is likely to be considered “a relevant offence”. This was a case concerning an offence involving • sexual activity; • sexual communication with a child; • any activity involving viewing, taking, making, possessing, distributing or publishing any indecent photograph or image or indecent pseudo photograph or image of a child, or permitting any such activity, including one-off incidents; and The Advice indicates that a conviction for any offence that relates to or involves such offences is likely to be considered “a relevant offence”. The panel considered that this offence was a serious one since Mr Amos used his position