by Gerry Warren

gwarren@thekmgroup

A teacher who kissed and fondled a vulnerable teenage pupil even though he was a school child protection officer has been banned from the profession.

A General Teaching Council conduct hearing heard Mark Cummings began the relationship with the 17-year-old while working at the Chaucer Technology School in Canterbury, where he was assistant head.

The contact began when the pupil, who was said to be suffering with depression, texted him about her transport and personal problems.

It led to flirty texts being exchanged and which became increasingly sexual in nature.

Presenting officer Stephanie Coates told the panel the contact continued when Cummings, who was 49 at the time in 2009, left the school to take up a new post as vice principal of St George’s School in Broadstairs.

She also read an extract from the pupil’s diary to the panel which said: “He only really gets into the conversations when they get really filthy.”

Cummings arranged to meet the teenager, referred to as pupil A, at the Westwood Cross shopping centre in Broadstairs and took her to his home.

The teenager also wrote in her diary: “While we were watching TV he put his arm around me, it was like we were a married couple.

"Then I kissed him... We were kissing frantically."

The allegations came to light when the pupil’s father read the texts on her mobile phone from Cummings and alerted both the school and police.

The hearing was told no charges were brought against Cummings after police decided the pupil was too vulnerable to be put through the trial process and there was not enough evidence otherwise to proceed.

Mrs Coates said: “His (Cummings') evidence during the investigation at St George’s school shows he admitted texting and meeting her, although he denies the sexual nature.

"When questioned by the headteacher of St George’s, Kim Stoner, he said: 'I feel I have let down myself and my family with some stupid text messages.'

Cummings, of St Mildred’s Road, Ramsgate, who did not attend the hearing, started his teaching career at the Chaucer in 1997 and became head of PE and then assistant head.

He left in April 2009 after being appointed vice principal at St George’s school in April 2009, where he was also given the job of being the school’s designated Child Protection Officer.