Teaching ban for head
A DISGRACED school head has been banned from teaching after being convicted of having his car torched in an insurance fraud.
Alan Bromley, headteacher of Wheatley Hill Community Primary School, was given a suspended prison sentence after claiming his £14,000 BMW had been stolen before being dumped and set on fire.
His career is now in tatters after the Teaching Agency prohibited him from teaching indefinitely.
The 47-year-old claimed he was wrongly convicted of the fraud, saying he would “not be the only innocent man to be convicted” and that he was a talented teacher who wanted to continue in his profession.
But watchdogs threw out his claim, saying that the denial showed “a lack of insight” into his behaviour.
In a report from the agency, Bridget Evans wrote: “We accepted that Mr Bromley has a previous good history.
“However, the panel could not accept that his actions were not deliberate. We have taken into account the fact that Mr Bromley continues to deny that he was guilty of the offence, despite his conviction.
“We consider that this demonstrates a lack of insight on his part. Taking all of these factors into account, we concluded that a recommendation for a prohibition order is appropriate.”
Judge John Evans called Bromley’s actions a “moment of madness” during a court hearing at Newcastle Crown Court last year. He gave Bromley a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months after being found guilty.
A jury was told that Bromley, of Low Knitsley Farm Cottages, Consett, arranged for his BMW car to be set on fire following a carol service at Wheatley Hill social club in December 2009.
He had denied setting fire to the car before reporting it stolen.
The police investigation started after his insurance company refused to pay out after they made inquiries. He was arrested in April 2009 and suspended on full pay.
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Saturday 25 May 2013
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