A FORMER trainee teacher at a Redditch school has been banned from the profession for life after being convicted of making indecent photos of children.
Last month, Liam Shakles was told he could never teach again by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) and due to the seriousness of the case cannot apply to restore his eligibility to teach.
Shakles began his employment as an unqualified teacher at Ridgeway Academy (now known as Ridgeway Secondary School) on September 2, 2019.
Just 17 days later, he was arrested on suspicion of possession of indecent images of children and attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child.
His employment was terminated on October 4 and on March 4, 2021, he was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court to six counts of making indecent photographs of children and for attempting to engage in sexual communications with someone he thought was a 12-year-old girl.
Shakles was jailed for 14 months and placed on the Sex Offenders Register and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.
He was also ordered to forfeit all his devices and pay a £100 victim surcharge.
In their meeting, the TRA panel noted that Shakles’ actions took place outside of school and didn’t involve any pupils or staff members.
The meeting report stated: “The panel believed that Mr Shakles’ criminal conduct was highly relevant to teaching, working with children and working in an education setting.
“The panel noted that the offences took place over a significant period of time and appeared to escalate in that period from viewing images to attempting to communicate with someone who he thought was a child.
“The offences involved a large number of images, many of which fell within the most serious category.
“The panel further noted that the Worcester Crown Court sentencing Judge described Mr Shakles as having “an entrenched sexual interest in very young children”, noting that he “deliberately took steps to gain employment in a school on a teacher training programme despite the fact that he was well aware that he had this serious and entrenched interest in young girls”.
No evidence was presented to the panel to suggest Shakles’ actions were not deliberate or that he was acting under duress.
Instead, the TRA found his actions to be “calculated and motivated” and he has shown no remorse or insight.
The report added: “Mr Shakles’ conduct was of the utmost seriousness and completely incompatible with the standards of behaviour expected of any member of the public, let alone a teacher who is placed in a position of trust with children.
Matt Ball, newly appointed Headteacher at Ridgeway Secondary School said: "The safety of our students is paramount and following a review, we have made significant improvements in safeguarding which was recently judged by Ofsted as effective.
“We are satisfied that this criminal behaviour did not involve the school or any of its students past or present.
“At the time the school took immediate action when alerted that a police investigation was underway concerning Mr Shakles, implementing safeguarding procedures and working with the Police and the Local Authority."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here