A teacher who told a rowdy pupil "I don't care if I go to prison, I'll knock your ******* lights out" has been allowed to remain in the profession.

David Tomkins was on his probation period working as a design and technology teacher at The Robert Napier School in Gillingham when he lost his temper with the Year 8 boy.

The teacher of 17 years sent him out of the classroom for misbehaviour and the lad returned without his permission - chanting "You're ugly".

He called school security to remove the pupil who was trying to help his classmates sneak out of the lesson early by holding open a door to the playground.

Mr Tomkins pushed his hand off the door - and the shocked pupil said: "You can't touch me, you can't do that."

He then followed the boy out onto the playground after the lesson, telling him: "I don't care if I get sent to prison, I'll knock your ******* lights out", a misconduct panel heard.

Mr Tomkins, who also taught GCSE food tech and textiles, began working at The Robert Napier School on September 1, 2016.

He immediately left the school after the incident on November 18 and admitted the allegations at a disciplinary hearing last month.

Mr Tomkins admitted the factual particulars of the allegations and that his conduct
amounted to unacceptable professional conduct and/or conduct which may bring the
profession into disrepute.

The Year 8 design and tech class was said to include several "completely antisocial" students who were "anti-learning", Mr Tomkins said in a statement.

He added that the pupil was "defiant, disruptive" and "rude to [his] face" while "attention seeking" in class.

Mr Tomkins is "remorseful" and "understands not to take any misbehaviour by pupils personally", the misconduct panel heard.

Dawn Dandy, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, ruled that Mr Tomkins could remain working as a teacher.

She said: "A prohibition order would prevent Mr Tomkins from continuing in the teaching profession.

"A prohibition order would also clearly deprive the public of his contribution to the profession for the period that it is in force.

"I have placed considerable weight on the panel's comments concerning the insight and remorse Mr Tomkins had shown.

"For these reasons, I have concluded that no prohibition order is proportionate and in the public interest in order to achieve the aims which a prohibition order is intended to achieve."