Paedophile teacher who taught in Liverpool and Wirral banned from classroom for life

A paedophile teacher who was jailed after molesting children at a Wirral school has been banned from returning to the classroom for good.

Charles Ellis was jailed for three years in December 2019 after being found guilty of 10 sexual assaults on girls aged eight to nine over a period of 17 years. This led to four more victims coming forward – two of whom Ellis abused while working at a Liverpool primary school.

A Teacher Regulation Hearing (TRA) has now banned Ellis – a former Chester Zoo keeper – from the classroom permanently.

A report from a hearing held by the TRA in September, said Ellis chose not to attend and said in writing: “My position is that following my three convictions, I do not plan to return to teaching and so do not understand what else there is to discuss?” Continuing in his absence, the panel were told how Ellis began his stint in the Wirral in 2002.

In June 2017, the school became aware of a serious allegation in respect of his conduct, which was being investigated by the police. He was dismissed for gross misconduct a year later.

He was subsequently jailed in 2019 for three years, prompting new victims to come forward. Having pleaded not guilty to his first offences, forcing the victims and their families through the ordeal of a trial, Ellis admitted to six counts of indecent assault and five counts of sexual assault.

Judge Thomas Teague, QC, said Ellis, targeted one victim in Liverpool “under the guise of helping her with her work”. He rubbed the child’s legs and bottom and sometimes touched her bottom under clothing.

Ellis behaved in a similar way to a second girl in Liverpool, but didn’t touch her under clothing. He touched one girl at the Wirral school on her legs, lower back and bottom, again after she sought help.

He must sign on the Sex Offenders Register and obey a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.

The TRA panel found that the seriousness of the offending behaviour that led to the conviction was clearly relevant to Ellis’ ongoing suitability to teach given the nature of the conviction and the fact that the victims were pupils. The panel considered that a finding that these convictions were relevant offences was necessary to reaffirm clear standards of conduct and maintain public confidence in the teaching profession.

In deciding to ban Ellis from the classroom for life, officials said they had considered “the very serious nature of his offences, including the sexual assault of children that he taught, and the absence of any evidence that he had demonstrated any insight into his behaviour and its impact on his victims.” 

This means Ellis is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.