Disgraced former head teacher Robert Juniper, who used his school’s credit card for personal gain, has been banned from teaching.

The Upchurch resident was previously given a suspended jail sentence for the fraud, which happened when he was in charge of Ashford’s Phoenix Community Primary School.

Now, the 58-year-old has been struck off by the secretary of state for education and told he cannot apply for reinstatement.

A disciplinary panel for the National College For Teaching and Leadership ruled that Juniper’s fraud had been “relevant to teaching and working with children in an education setting”.

The secretary of state’s report says: “In his position as head teacher, Mr Juniper was expected to safeguard, and not act against, the financial interests of the school.

“Mr Juniper dishonestly abused that position, which involved breaches of the teachers’ standards.

“The seriousness of the behaviour that led to the conviction is relevant to Mr Juniper’s ongoing suitability to teach.”

The report adds: “I have considered the public interest in this case.

“I agree with the panel that the findings against Mr Juniper, which involved an offence of dishonestly involving school funds, could seriously weaken public confidence in the profession, should such conduct not be treated with the utmost seriousness.

“I note that the panel found that Mr Juniper has shown minimal insight into his actions and little remorse.

“This means that Mr Robert Juniper is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth-form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.

“Furthermore, I have decided that Mr Juniper shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach.”

“I note that the panel found that Mr Juniper has shown minimal insight into his actions and little remorse" - report into Juniper

Canterbury Crown Court had heard how Juniper, of Jubilee Field, had helped himself to cash as a “free” loan.

Prosecutor Adam Wolstenholme said he had admitted “fraud by abuse of position” while working for Kent County Council at the school in Belmont Road, Kennington.

He said the cards were used illegally between January 2011 and April 2013 and the scam was only discovered when Juniper’s successor, Frances Nation, queried accounts which had been officially audited.

Martin Khoshdel, for Juniper, said he had been “stupid and naive” and has since repaid more than £4,200.

The judge, Recorder Mark Ockelton, gave Juniper a 30-week jail sentence suspended for two years, and ordered him to do 150 hours of community work.