A teacher who suggested a pupil send him pictures of his penis on Facebook has been banned from teaching.

Benjamin Bird, 37, attempted to become friends with his pupils and ex-pupils on Facebook, and proceeded to send them messages of an inappropriate nature, including references to masturbation, a teacher-conduct panel heard.

Mr Bird contacted the pupils while employed as pastoral lead at Bridge Learning Campus, a mixed-gender all-through school in Bristol, between September 2016 and May 2017.

He also contacted former pupils from Henbury School, a secondary academy, in Bristol.

In his absence, the panel found him guilty of breaching professional standards, including that teachers treat pupils with dignity and build relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observe proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s professional position.

As well as sending and/or accepting one or more friend request to and/or from pupils, he also sent numerous messages, which included:

• “Oi! Why won’t you add me? Tart!” (to Pupil D).

• “Currently can’t even think about getting out of bed let alone having a wank” (to Pupil A).

• Telling Pupil E: “Well maybe run the real thing past me for approval first! [wink emoticon]” with reference to Pupil E’s penis.

• Sending an email address to Pupil E and stating “if you need to send any photos of it [wink emoticon]” with reference to Pupil E’s penis.

• Telling Pupil E: “I’ve seen many examples lol” with reference to images of penises.

Panel decision-maker Dawn Dandy said in the panel’s report: “The expressions he used in the messages were repeatedly of a sexual nature and we have found proved not only that the messages were sexual in nature, but also that Mr Bird sent them for the purposes of sexual gratification.

“He suggested that one pupil sent him a photo of his penis.”

Mr Bird’s former headteacher told the panel he had been “a hardworking and dynamic teacher”, but suggested that he had latterly “lost his way”.

Ms Dandy added: “Given Mr Bird’s failure to attend the hearing and answer questions, there also remains a question mark in relation to his previous excessive use of alcohol, to which Mr Bird made reference in his investigatory interview.”

Mr Bird has been banned from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth-form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.

He was given 28 days to appeal.