Convicted sex offender worked in several UK schools

A convicted sex offender was allowed to work as a teacher in several schools in England, it emerged today.

William Gibson, 59, was jailed for two-and-a-half years in 2000 for fraud, forgery and theft and was released from prison in 2002.

And in 1980 he was convicted for indecent assault on a child and has since worked at two schools in South Tyneside and one in neighbouring Co Durham.

The case of Gibson emerged as Britian's Education Secretary Ruth Kelly faced mounting criticism after her department allowed teacher Paul Reeve, who has a caution for downloading child pornography, to work in the classroom.

Like Reeve, it is understood that Gibson was not on the Education Department’s own List 99, which contains the names of those banned for life from working in schools.

South Tyneside Council confirmed Gibson was employed as a maths teacher at St Joseph’s RC Comprehensive School in Hebburn for three months in 2003 until his past was uncovered.

However, despite being uncovered as a convicted sex offender he was allowed in October 2004 to teach maths at another school in the borough, Hebburn Comprehensive.

However, when his past was uncovered after a day’s teaching, Gibson – who was supplied by an agency – was asked to leave.

Less than sixth months later the former financial adviser found temporary work at a school in Co Durham. But after a day in the classroom his past conviction came to light and again he was told not to return.

Now, the boss of a top teacher supply agency, which refused to give Gibson work, has called for tighter controls over the placement of teachers.

Susan Moore, managing director of Newcastle-based STC Consortium interviewed Gibson, who admitted he had been jailed for fraud.

But his conviction for indecent assault came to light when her agency carried out a check with the Criminal Records Bureau, she said.

However, she said she was amazed to discover he had later found work at the schools in Co Durham and South Tyneside.

She has now called for supply agencies to be licensed and every agency having to meet Quality Mark standard, which includes being audited.

Mrs Moore told the Press Association: “This is not just about this one person but what, to me, are definite loopholes in the law.

“What frustrates us is that agencies do not have to be licensed and anyone can set up a supply agency.

“Schools trust agencies to provide them with safe and qualified teachers and the Quality Mark rewards agencies that do it right.

“This man came in 2002 and I refused to register him. My immediate thought was absolutely not.

“Anyone who had sight of his Criminal Records Bureau file should have made the same decision I did as even without the indecent assault the other offences would have been enough.

“He is, unfortunately just the tip of the iceberg and this has opened up a can of worms.

“We are talking about children here who are at the mercy of unscrupulous people and these children need to be protected.”

In a statement South Tyneside Council admitted that he was employed before full checks into his past had been completed.

“William Gibson was employed as a supply teacher at St Joseph’s RC Comprehensive School from January to April 30, 2003, after initial checks had been carried out,” a spokeswoman said.

“When the findings of enhanced checks came through, he was deemed unsuitable to work with children and his employment came to an end.

“He also taught mathematics at Hebburn Comprehensive School for one day in October 2004 on an agency supply basis but when his past became known to the school, he was immediately asked to leave.”

A spokesman for Durham County Council said a William Gibson had been refused employment as a supply teacher in 2002 when police checks uncovered his background.

However, in March 2005, the council discovered that the previous months Gibson had worked for a day in a school in the county.

The spokesman added: “Education authority officials discovered that Mr Gibson had been employed directly by a County Durham secondary school – not through an agency or through the education authority – to provide a single day’s temporary teaching cover the previous month.

“The school was advised not to re-employ him.”