teacher in ‘sex with pupils’ investigation - 15th Jan 2009 1:14am
A TEACHER at a top Merseyside boys’ school was arrested by police investigating alleged sexual misconduct involving pupils.
Hannah McIntyre is currently suspended from independent Merchant Taylors’ boys school, in Crosby.
Police today confirmed the 24-year-old from Waterloo was arrested on Friday.
The alleged breach of trust is understood to involve sixth-form students at the 630-pupil fee-paying boys senior school where she has worked since September 2007.
Miss McIntyre’s alleged misconduct is said to have happened outside school hours and away from the Liverpool Road premises.
Although sixth-form students are above the age of consent, it is a criminal offence for a person “to engage in any sexual activity with a person aged under 18 with whom they have a relationship of trust, irrespective of the age of consent, even if the basis for their relationship is consensual”.
Government guidance also warns teachers “intimate or sexual relationships between staff and pupils will be regarded as a grave breach of trust”.
A Merseyside police spokesman said: “As part of an ongoing inquiry a 24-year-old woman from Waterloo was arrested on Friday on suspicion of abusing her position of trust under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.”
She has since been released on bail.
The senior boys school’s sixth-form has 150 students.
Head teacher David Cook confirmed a staff member was being investigated by police and Sefton social services over “an incident of alleged misconduct away from the school site and outside school hours, allegedly involving sixth-form students”.
He added: “The school is cooperating fully as our first priority is the safeguarding of all our students.”
School factfile
Dating back to 1620 the independent school enjoyed another 100% GCSE pass rate this year.
Merchant Taylors’ school for boys is an independent, non-denominational, day school for 11-18-year-olds.
It enjoyed a 100% GCSE pass rate in 2008.
Other Merchant Taylors’ schools in Crosby are Stanfield mixed infants, junior girls, junior boys and senior girls.
Past pupils include World Cup 2003 rugby union star Ben Kay and former archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie.
Fees at the senior boys’ school are £2,727 per term.
Hannah McIntyre is currently suspended from independent Merchant Taylors’ boys school, in Crosby.
Police today confirmed the 24-year-old from Waterloo was arrested on Friday.
The alleged breach of trust is understood to involve sixth-form students at the 630-pupil fee-paying boys senior school where she has worked since September 2007.
Miss McIntyre’s alleged misconduct is said to have happened outside school hours and away from the Liverpool Road premises.
Although sixth-form students are above the age of consent, it is a criminal offence for a person “to engage in any sexual activity with a person aged under 18 with whom they have a relationship of trust, irrespective of the age of consent, even if the basis for their relationship is consensual”.
Government guidance also warns teachers “intimate or sexual relationships between staff and pupils will be regarded as a grave breach of trust”.
A Merseyside police spokesman said: “As part of an ongoing inquiry a 24-year-old woman from Waterloo was arrested on Friday on suspicion of abusing her position of trust under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.”
She has since been released on bail.
The senior boys school’s sixth-form has 150 students.
Head teacher David Cook confirmed a staff member was being investigated by police and Sefton social services over “an incident of alleged misconduct away from the school site and outside school hours, allegedly involving sixth-form students”.
He added: “The school is cooperating fully as our first priority is the safeguarding of all our students.”
School factfile
Dating back to 1620 the independent school enjoyed another 100% GCSE pass rate this year.
Merchant Taylors’ school for boys is an independent, non-denominational, day school for 11-18-year-olds.
It enjoyed a 100% GCSE pass rate in 2008.
Other Merchant Taylors’ schools in Crosby are Stanfield mixed infants, junior girls, junior boys and senior girls.
Past pupils include World Cup 2003 rugby union star Ben Kay and former archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie.
Fees at the senior boys’ school are £2,727 per term.