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Criminal pasts of hundreds of wannabe teachers

Aug 2 2009 by Tom Mullen, Sunday Sun

ARSONISTS, burglars and drug dealers are among hundreds of convicted criminals applying to become teachers in the North.

From gross indecency and grievous bodily harm to assaulting police officers and burglary, a Sunday Sun probe today exposes the crooks who could be teaching your children.

Our investigation reveals more than 400 people have applied for teaching positions in the North, despite a shameful log of previous criminal activity.

But it is not possible to find out how many were eventually given jobs because the final decision on employment is down to the headteacher’s discretion.

Included in the dossier of dodgy wannabe Sirs are convictions for:

:: Burglary

:: Cultivating cannabis

:: Assaulting a police officer

:: Wounding

:: Possessing an offensive weapon in a public place

:: Arson endangering life

:: Soliciting a woman for prostitution

And these are only seven of some 463 offences revealed after checks by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB).

Indecent exposure, drug dealing, benefit fraud, driving with no insurance, theft and criminal damage were also revealed in the checks, which cover all applications in Tyneside, Northumberland, County Durham and Sunderland over the calendar years 2007 and 2008.

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