Ban for teacher who harassed colleague and had drugs

A teacher has been banned from the profession after being convicted of harassing a colleague and drug possession.

Ben Russell, 45, worked as a PE teacher at Ellis Guilford School in Basford, Nottingham, from September 2014 until his suspension in January 2022.

A misconduct hearing held by the Teaching Regulation Agency earlier this month heard police found he had made numerous unwanted phone calls to a colleague, referred to as Person A, over four days in December 2021 - including 70 calls on Christmas Day.

At Nottingham Magistrates' Court in June 2022, he pleaded guilty to harassment as well as a drug offence after a "small bag" of cocaine was found by police during his arrest for harassment.

Russell was fined for both offences and given a 12-month restraining order preventing him from contacting Person A or visiting a specified address.

The hearing also heard Russell had admitted swearing at Person A at school on one occasion in November 2021 as well as sending social media messages about Person A to another colleague, which the panel deemed to be "inappropriate".

The panel found Russell had breached teaching standards and committed serious misconduct as a result of his criminal convictions.

He will be able to apply for the prohibition order to be set aside in May 2028.

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