A “WELL-RESPECTED” subject leader has been banned from teaching for life after a misconduct panel decided allegations of inappropriate behaviour had been proved despite no charges being brought by the Crown Prosecution Service.

A misconduct hearing was told Andrew Parkinson assaulted a woman during his tenure working at Batley Grammar School.

He was employed as the director of learning for maths and technology at the free school between September 1, 2017 and January 11, 2019.

A teaching misconduct panel heard earlier this month heard that Parkinson touched a woman’s breasts over and under her clothing in a car full of people on the way back from a wedding on or around November 2, 2018.

The panel was told that he also kissed the side of her face and touched another area of her body.

This was all without the woman’s consent.

The woman gave evidence at the hearing – which Parkinson did not attend – and she was described by the panel as a “credible and compelling witness” and were “impressed by the clarity of her answers”.

She claimed Parkinson was “very drunk” after the wedding – which was in the evening - and that she had to hold him up through the car park to get their lift home.

Parkinson allegedly told the woman she had “a nice set of boobs” earlier in the day and this “rattled” her, but she thought nothing of it at the time.

Parkinson ended up in the back of the car despite the three others in the vehicle telling the panel he was adamant about sitting in the front of the car on the way to the event, referencing travel sickness as his reason, and the woman attempting to put him in the front.

The other said it was strange and surprising that he sat in the back of the car on the way back.

A public document recording the hearing said: “[The woman] felt uneasy about this, given that Mr Parkinson was so drunk.

“However, she felt she was unable to argue with him and got into the rear of the car.”

Parkinson is said to have put his arm around her and then lifted her legs onto his lap.

The woman said she ignored the first instance as a friendly gesture, but realised this was not the case as he moved her legs.

The document said: [The woman] recalls being shocked at this as she deemed this completely inappropriate.”

The woman said she froze as it “felt like time stood still” as she tried and failed to get the attention of the person in the front passenger seat.

She added that she did not do anything to suggest she welcome Parkinson’s behaviour and that it continued for a period of time – estimated at around an hour.

The panel accepted that the colleague was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the alleged incident, but not to the degree that it undermined her credibility.

Parkinson point-blank denied anything happened.

He said in a pre-prepared statement to police and in representations made through his legal adviser that he had “quite a bit to drink”, got into the back of the car because he wanted to sleep and put the woman’s legs over his due to a lack of space.

He said he fell asleep in the back of the car after having a beer.

A police officer also gave evidence at the hearing.

The document said: “Individual E also confirmed that if the allegations were found to be true, this would have constituted a serious sexual assault and confirmed that because the CPS had decided not to proceed, this did not mean that the alleged incident had not occurred.”

The panel considered the allegations proved, while Batley Grammar also concluded Parkinson had engaged in non-consensual sexual contact on the balance of probabilities, after conducting its own investigation.

Parkinson resigned from the school on January 11, 2019.

Parkinson was a “well-respected teacher” within the school and was influential to students and staff.

The document said: “The panel was satisfied that the conduct of Mr Parkinson, and in particular the power imbalance between himself and [the woman], amounted to misconduct of a serious nature which fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession.”

The panel added that he showed no remorse for his actions.

Alan Meyrick, on behalf of The Secretary of State for Education decided to ban Parkinson from teaching indefinitely.

He also decided Parkinson cannot apply for the restoration of his eligibility to teach.

This means he is prohibited from teaching in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.

Parkinson has the right to appeal within 28 days from the date he is given notice of this order.