A secondary school teacher in Devon has been banned from teaching after being found guilty of inappropriate touching of a sexual nature involving three pupils. Martin Butler, 61, was suspended from Shebbear College in July 2021 following allegations of professional misconduct, including touching two pupils' hip, breast, and bottom.
During the investigation, Mr Butler denied the allegations and branded one of his accusers as an attention-seeking bully. However, a panel of the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) found that most of the allegations made by the pupils were likely to have happened. The panel concluded that Mr Butler’s lack of insight and remorse, as well as the risk of repetition, made his behavior incompatible with being a teacher.
The TRA recommended to the Secretary of State that a prohibition order should be imposed immediately due to Mr Butler’s inappropriate physical contact and failure to maintain appropriate boundaries with the pupils in a school setting. The report confirmed that the incidents took place on school premises while Mr Butler was acting in his capacity as a teacher.
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Mr Butler began working at Shebbear College in September 2017. The allegations came to light in June 2021 when a pupil disclosed to a staff member at the school that Mr Butler had been touching her. This led to his suspension and subsequent investigation where two more pupils came forward with similar allegations.
The panel heard accounts from the pupils detailing incidents of inappropriate touching, including touching the chest area, hips, and thighs, which made them feel uncomfortable. The panel upheld four out of the five allegations, noting the inherent sexual nature of the touching and Mr Butler’s failure to provide a plausible innocent explanation for his conduct.
The school confirmed it has a ‘no touch’ policy and emphasized the clear guidelines in the Staff Code of Conduct regarding physical contact with pupils. An independent investigation found no evidence of the pupils being untruthful or manipulative, further supporting the allegations.
The panel’s report noted the catastrophic impact of the allegations on Mr Butler and his financial situation due to the legal proceedings. Despite positive character references, the panel’s decision to impose a teaching ban was deemed proportionate and in the public interest.