Liverpool primary school teaching assistant banned from the classroom for life - & the sickening reason why

Reece Gordon, 23, who worked at Dovecot Primary School from September 2023 to February 2024, was convicted at Liverpool Crown Court on October 9 2024 of three counts of making an indecent photograph/ pseudo-photograph of a child and possessing an indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child contrary.

They included 268 category A indecent photographs - images involving penetrative sexual activity, possession of images involving sexual activity with an animal or sadism - over a “prolonged” period of time - said to be years.

He was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, a rehabilitation activity requirement of 60 days and an unpaid work requirement of 100 hours. He was also made subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years and notification requirements for 10 years.

The case was referred to the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA), who this week issued a judgement on his case, banning him from the classroom in England forever.

What happened?

The police received information on July 28, 2023, that a Dropbox account which was associated with Mr Gordon’s email address had accessed indecent images of children on the internet. The IP address used to access the indecent images was registered to Mr Gordon’s address.

Mr Gordon admitted the offences and while the TRA panel noted his assertion of difficult personal circumstances and that he had pleaded guilty to the offences, they found no material evidence of mitigation.

They said his behaviour “fundamentally breached the standard of conduct expected of a teacher” and found no evidence of insight or remorse on the part of Mr Gordon. Furthermore, they said there was no evidence that Mr Gordon’s actions were not deliberate, there was no evidence to suggest that Mr Gordon was acting under extreme duress, e.g. a physical threat or significant intimidation, and there was no evidence that Mr Gordon demonstrated exceptionally high standards in his personal and professional conduct or had contributed significantly to the education sector.

‘Every risk of repetition’

The panel noted the long duration of the period to which the convictions related and considered “there was every risk that the offences which were the subject of the conviction would be repeated, including in circumstances where Mr Gordon was permitted to continue to work as a teacher. The panel saw no evidence which would lead them to conclude that this risk would reduce over time or had, in any way, reduced at the time of the hearing.”

Decision maker Sarah Buxcey said: “Mr Reece Gordon is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England. Furthermore, in view of the seriousness of the allegations found proved against him, I have decided that Mr Gordon shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach.”

Ms Buxcey also imposed the decision immediately, without a review period.