A teacher who was convicted of sexually assaulting children has been permanently banned from the profession.

Iain McDowall was employed as a class teacher at Hawkesley Church School, a primary school in Birmingham, from 1 September 2016 until his dismissal on 31 December 2018.

In September 2018, he was arrested by West Midlands Police “on suspicion of historical abuse of children that were in his care” relating to alleged offences from a decade earlier, a Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) report notes.

He was immediately suspended and placed under investigation, and the school dismissed him on 31 December 2018.

Sexual assault against children aged 5 of 6

The following July, he was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment and ordered to remain on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

He was found guilty of sexual assault of a female child under 13 on various days between 31 August 2008 and 31 July 2009, assault by penetration of a female child under 13 on various days between 31 August 2009 and 31 July 2010 and sexual assault of a female child under 13.

The TRA report notes that two of the victims were children aged 5 or 6 at the time of the offence, which occurred when Mr McDowell was their class teacher at an unnamed school.

In recommending a permanent ban earlier this month, the report reads: “The panel considered Mr McDowall’s actions to be at the most serious end of the scale of misconduct.”

The report also specifies that where there has been a conviction or a criminal offence, the TRA panel meeting will now re-examine facts and will accept the conviction outcome.

The panel noted that Mr McDowall pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges.