Ban for former teacher convicted of assaulting police officers

Karen Bates, who taught at Hellesdon High School, has been handed an order preventing her from returning to the profession by a Teacher Regulations Agency panel.

Ms Bates, 44, who taught humanities at the school for more than a decade, was convicted of six separate offences in December 2019.

The conviction came after a string of incidents, in Norwich, Reepham and Easton, between October and November that year when she assaulted police officers and caused criminal damage to a business.

Now, a panel from the Teacher Regulations Agency has completed its own investigation into the incidents and opted to ban her from returning to the profession.

In an official report, the panel wrote that Ms Bates had committed the offences while going through "emotional difficulties".

The incidents resulted in Mrs Bates appearing in Norwich Magistrates Court where she pleaded guilty to six offences and was given a 12-month community order.

However, the panel judged that while the court did not deem the offences to have been at the "most serious end of the spectrum", they did warrant a teaching ban.

The report says: "The panel considered that Mrs Bates had a duty to act as a role model.

"The panel were of the opinion that her actions fell significantly short of the standard of behaviour expected of a teacher.

"The panel recognised that the offences had taken place outside of the education setting and had not involved pupils or other members of the school's staff.

"Nevertheless, the panel considered that Mrs Bates' conviction of assault and criminal damage were relevant to her profession as a teacher."

Tom Rolfe, principal of Hellesdon High School, said: "While Ms Bates was not working within the school at the time of the offences, the school held an internal investigation following her conviction and referred the matter to the Teaching Regulation Authority."

Mrs Bates said she did not wish to comment.