JOHN HARDIE AND HULL: TEACHER BANNED FOLLOWING INAPPROPRIATE INCIDENT AT MCDONALD'S

John Hardie, a 41-year-old teacher, was involved in a misconduct incident at a McDonald's on Cottingham Road in Hull in 2019. He entered the female toilets with the apparent intent of observing a girl engaged in a private act. The Teaching Regulation Agency panel described the incident as sexually motivated. CCTV footage showed Mr Hardie leaving the male toilets before hesitating, then following the girl into the female toilets, and subsequently returning to the restaurant area.

In a police interview conducted in 2019, he admitted to having had 'an element of sexual curiosity.' Previously, he had been issued with a sex offender notification requirement until October 2021 after accepting a police caution for attempted voyeurism.

At the time of the incident, Mr Hardie was employed on a self-employed basis to provide tuition at various local schools, including Hull City Council, Winifred Holtby Academy, and Wolfreton School. His work was outside the formal education setting. The panel concluded that his actions constituted unacceptable professional conduct and issued a prohibition order, preventing him from teaching indefinitely.

The hearing took place on 4 February, during which Mr Hardie was immediately suspended from his position at Newland School for Girls, where he was working as a part-time self-employed tutor. The school confirmed that there was no suggestion of any inappropriate behaviour occurring within their premises. Hull City Council also verified his previous employment at the council.

As a result of the findings, Mr Hardie is now banned from teaching in any school, sixth-form college, youth accommodation, or children’s home across England due to conduct that could damage the reputation of the teaching profession.