Teacher who sent indecent images to 'boy' banned

A teacher who sent indecent images of himself to an undercover police officer posing as a child has been permanently banned from the profession.

Thomas Calverley taught PE at Adeyfield Academy, in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, and believed he was talking to a 14-year-old boy in an online chat room.

The 29-year-old admitted to child sex offences at Buckingham Magistrates' Court on 15 November 2022.

A Teaching Regulation Agency panel banned him from teaching and said he could not apply to have the decision overturned in the future.

The report said Calverley had used online chat rooms between 25 May and 3 June 2021.

He sent photos to the undercover officer, believing he was a boy called Ben, and asked for photos of the boy performing sexual acts.

Police tracked Calverley through his online profile and arrested him.

He pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

The former teacher also admitted attempting to cause a child under 16 to watch or look at an image of sexual activity in the same period.

He was sentenced to a community order for two years with a requirement for him to attend the Horizon Sex Offender programme.

He was also sentenced to 30 days of rehabilitation activity requirement and 120 hours of unpaid work.

The panel wrote it could find no evidence the former teacher had demonstrated insight or remorse.

It said this meant there was risk of repetition that could potentially put the future wellbeing of pupils at risk.

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