A teacher who called Freddie Mercury a homophobic slur and smoked in front of youngsters lied about being fired from his last school.

James Gardner, a former educator at Broomhill Bank School in Tunbridge Wells, also withheld that he had not completed mandatory teaching training.

The 40-year-old was working as a PE and science teacher at the Tunbridge Wells school for students with special needs when the various incidents occurred.

During a hearing by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA), Mr Gardner was also found to have inappropriately touched a young female while on a school football away fixture in November 2019.

After a pupil who was playing in the match became upset and ran off the pitch, she says Mr Gardner “started shouting at her and told her that she had embarrassed him”.

“The pupil said that Mr Gardner then put his hands on her shoulders, pushed her up against the wall and kept his hands on her shoulders for about two minutes.”

The disgraced teacher claims he only “momentarily and gently” touched the young woman to “encourage her to focus”, but the TRA panel concluded the interaction was inappropriate.

Also at the event, Mr Gardner offered a cigarette to a pupil while he was smoking.

In a school disciplinary meeting, Mr Gardner admitted smoking in front of students, but said as they were all 19 it did not matter. He denied that he had done so in front of Pupil B.

Officials also a discussed a “homophobic and offensive” remark Mr Gardner said in front of a pupil while they were travelling to the match in November 2019.

Mr Gardner, a pupil and another member of staff were listening to the radio in a minibus when a Queen song came on and Mr Gardner said “That man can sing for a f****t’”. He told the panel he meant it as a joke.

“I should never have used inappropriate language as I did when saying Freddie Mercury was f****t”, said Mr Gardner.

“It makes me cringe to think that I said it.”

The hearing, which took place between April 3 and 5, was held in private because of the teacher’s concerns about the “personal and confidential nature of his representations”.

Panelists also found that Mr Gardner acted dishonestly while applying for the role at Broomhill Bank in 2019. He said he left his last job due to long commute and as he wanted to spend more time with his children.

In fact, he had been dismissed for gross misconduct.

The TRA banned Mr Gardner from teaching. He may appeal that, but not until April 2026.

Broomhill Bank School said he was dismissed in November following an internal investigation.