ANDREW CORISH BANNED FOR LIFE AFTER CROYDON SCHOOL VOYEURISM SCANDAL
In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Croydon, Andrew Corish, a 60-year-old assistant headteacher, has been handed a lifetime ban from the teaching profession following allegations of voyeurism involving pupils at the Coloma Convent Girls’ School.The incident, which took place on June 11, 2015, has led to serious repercussions for Corish, who was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct by a panel convened by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL).
Corish, who was employed at the Croydon-based school at the time, was caught using his mobile phone to film up the skirts of one or more students during a supervised examination.
The recordings, described as “sexually motivated,” included at least one indecent image and possibly more, which he had kept as part of his inappropriate collection.
The panel’s report detailed that Corish admitted to the allegations, acknowledging that his actions were driven by sexual motives and took place within the school environment.
According to the findings, Corish’s misconduct was not an isolated incident.
The NCTL panel highlighted that he had attempted to record additional indecent images of pupils on multiple occasions, all driven by sexual intent.
Despite his cooperation with investigations conducted by both the school authorities and police, and his display of remorse, the panel determined that his behavior was egregious enough to warrant a permanent ban from teaching.
The decision was supported by Dawn Dandy, acting on behalf of Education Secretary Justine Greening, who emphasized the importance of safeguarding pupils and protecting the public’s trust in educational professionals.
Following the allegations, Corish was suspended from his role at the school and subsequently resigned.
He was later arrested and charged with voyeurism.
In April of the previous year, he pleaded guilty at Croydon Magistrates’ Court.
However, his prosecution was ultimately unsuccessful at Croydon Crown Court, where a judge ruled that none of the alleged victims had engaged in a “private act” as legally defined under voyeurism statutes, leading to the dropping of charges.
Despite this legal outcome, the professional conduct panel’s verdict has resulted in Corish being permanently barred from the teaching profession.
He will not be eligible to apply for reinstatement in the future, effectively ending his career in education.
The case has raised serious concerns about safeguarding and the responsibilities of educators to maintain professional standards, especially in a school setting where the safety and dignity of pupils must always be prioritized.
