Teacher banned after sending teen Snapchat images

A teacher has been banned after a misconduct panel concluded he used Snapchat to send explicit images to a teenager.

While working as a teacher at Priory Rise School, a primary in Milton Keynes, Ross Bullen, 38, had a Snapchat where he shared sexually explicit images with thousands of people under the name "RossAlex".

In May 2023 a 16-year-old, who had received the images, used Snapchat Maps location data and online staff photos to identify the man, then notified the school who reported it to the police and dismissed Bullen after an investigation.

The panel concluded that while Bullen's conduct did not constitute "unacceptable professional conduct", it may bring the profession into disrepute.

This was because the teenager had not been a pupil at the school. The incident had taken place in his private life and there was no evidence his pupils were exposed to harm.

Bullen admitted in his evidence that he had engaged in risky behaviour online by not verifying ages or checking names of people he added, describing himself as "stupid, reckless, foolish".

The teenager testified that he had told the teacher he was 15 in conversations, before the six explicit images were sent.

However, as Bullen had blocked the teenager on Snapchat, message logs could not be recovered by the police and the teacher did not provide investigators with the pin to access data on his phone.

Without this information the panel could not prove that Bullen knew the boy's age, with the teacher insisting he would never knowingly message a child.

They concluded that a member of the public would be concerned that his behaviour led to explicit images of himself being sent to a minor.

Although Bullen testified he no longer shared such images, the panel noted they did not have any evidence of this and considered there was a potential risk of repetition.

The earliest he can apply to have his teaching ban lifted is on 13 August 2028.

Do you have a story suggestion for Beds, Herts or Bucks? Contact us below.

Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.