Teacher banned over sexual messages sent to pupils

A primary school teacher has been banned from the profession indefinitely after he sent sexual text messages to undercover police officers he thought were 13-year-old girls.

Dale Millar-Evans, 35, sent the messages while he was working at Bells Farm Primary School in Birmingham, an employment tribunal heard.

A panel found he engaged in conversations with two individuals who he believed were 13 year-old girls, between July and September 2023.

Publishing a written conclusion, decision-maker Sarah Buxcey, acting on behalf of Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, banned Mr Millar-Evans from teaching, saying the action taken was proportionate and in the public interest.

Mr Miller-Evans - who started at Bells Farm in 2022 - was suspended in September 2023, after it was informed he was being investigated by police.

The school began internal investigations in January 2024 and two months later he resigned.

The misconduct hearing was told Mr Millar-Evans messaged one of the officers, posing as child A, saying: "Sorry didn't realise you were so young" on 11 July 2023, but continued messaging them for at least a week afterwards.

He also called child A "babe", but maintained that he did not think it was sexual in nature.

At the hearing, Mr Miller-Evans admitted he asked both "girls" to send him a picture of themselves.

He told the panel he had asked for the pictures to check who he was talking to and to make sure they were not a "bot or a 50-year-old man".

He also admitted he asked the other officer, known as child B, about her sexual experiences.

But, he said he "thought that he was being asked for help and advice".

However, the panel ruled against him, declaring his messages were "flirtatious" and concluding he was "seeking sexual gratification and/or in pursuit of a sexual relationship".

It also added it "could not be satisfied that Mr Millar-Evans was fully remorseful".

"The regret he expressed related to the personal consequences of exposure of his actions, rather than demonstrating that he understood the impact of online behaviours on children," Ms Buxcey said.

"The panel did note that Mr Millar-Evans had recognised the impact of his actions on the school."