SUPPLY TEACHER ADMITS SEXUAL ENCOUNTERS WITH PUPILS DESPITE PRIOR WARNINGS
Amy Gehring, a supply teacher previously found not guilty of indecently assaulting pupils, has admitted in an exclusive interview that she engaged in sexual activities with at least one 16-year-old pupil.She disclosed that she slept with the young man and was too intoxicated at times to remember if she had sexual encounters with other pupils, including a boy who was younger.
Her admissions will likely intensify ongoing debates about the regulation and supervision of supply teachers and the recruitment agencies employing them.
Despite being cleared at trial, it was revealed that allegations of sexual misconduct involving her and pupils at a previous school had been made before.
Child protection authorities had advised she should not return to teaching, but these warnings were ignored, allowing her to resume her career.
In her interview, she acknowledged the previous allegations were true—that she did have sex with a pupil, although she was not prosecuted since the pupil was over the age of consent.
Moreover, she admits to being so drunk on one occasion that she could not recall whether she had sex with a 15-year-old boy.
Gehring states she now feels ashamed and embarrassed but her admissions reignite concerns about oversight of supply teachers and the safety of pupils.
The case highlights failures from police, social services, her employer, and educational authorities to prevent her from returning to the classroom after previous warnings.
