A TEACHER “addicted” to accessing indecent images of children has been banned from the classroom for life.
Michael Fogg, 32, was a PE teacher at Deneholm Primary in Grays, Essex, when he was arrested for uploading indecent images to a chatroom.
A professional conduct panel ruled the ban was necessary to maintain public confidence in teaching.
A spokesperson for Deneholm Primary said no charges Fogg later faced related to children at the school.
Following his arrest in July 2020, Fogg was convicted of making and distributing indecent images of children and possessing extreme pornographic images.
In May 2022, a judge at Chelmsford Crown Court sentenced him to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months.
In a letter seen by the conduct panel, Fogg said: “Just to say sorry does not come close to explaining the feeling of remorse and regret I feel.
“I would do anything to rewind time and take everything back.”
He also admitted his crimes were “disgusting”.
The panel sat in private, but has published its findings, which concluded that Fogg be “prohibited from teaching indefinitely” and that he could not teach in “any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England”.
Because of the seriousness of the offences, the panel said, the ban cannot be reviewed.
The panel noted comments made by the judge who dealt with Fogg’s case, who said: “Mr Fogg developed an addiction of some kind to indecent images of children.”
Deneholm Primary has 415 pupils aged between four and 11. It was given an overall rating of “good” after its most recent inspection by the education watchdog Ofsted.
At the time of his arrest, Fogg had handed in his notice because he had a new post at a secondary school, the panel revealed.
The school spokesperson added that Fogg was suspended immediately, and the school had worked closely with the police and the local authority.
“In line with national legal requirements, every member of staff is subject to rigorous enhanced safeguarding and background checks prior to their employment,” the school said.
“Safeguarding remains our highest priority, and all reports no matter how small are dealt with robustly.”
