Matthew Nichols who works at Bryn Alyn denies his conduct was sexually motivated at Ewloe fitness to practice hearing
A maths teacher exchanged "flirtatious and sexually suggestive" text messages with a teenage girl pupil, it was claimed yesterday.
Matthew Nichols, 29, a former teacher at 760-pupil Bryn Alyn comprehensive school at Wrexham, denied his conduct was sexually motivated when he appeared before a fitness to practise committee hearing of the Education Workforce Council.
Presenting officer Cadi Dewi said at Ewloe that police found 425 texts between Pupil A and Mr Nichols.
He had complained to the pupil about his girlfriend.
Miss Dewi said there were also Snapchat and Facebook messages to a second girl pupil.
'Inappropriate and flirtatious'
Mr Nichols had been quizzed by police but was never charged with any offence and there was no physical sexual contact.
Miss Dewi said he had accepted to police that the communication was “inappropriate and flirtatious”.
She said the messages were also “sexually suggestive”.
Mr Nichols is accused of unacceptable professional conduct during 2015.
He admitted inappropriate communication with two pupils and breaching the school’s child protection policy and staff acceptable use of school ICT facilities policy.
Texts had been 'misconstrued'
Among pictures to ex Pupil B was one of his bed, Miss Dewi said.
Barrister Martin Mensah, for the teacher, told the panel: “The key issue is whether the conduct was sexually motivated.”
Assistant head Claire Corfield told the hearing two friends of one of the girls had told a school support assistant that Mr Nichols sent text messages.
“The two pupils didn’t feel the content of the messages were appropriate to be sent from a teacher to a pupil,” the headteacher added.
Pupil A had been embarrassed when confronted by Ms Corfield about the messages: “She confirmed she had exchanged messages with Matthew Nichols on Instagram and he instigated the contact.”
'He described the pupil's smile as cute'
The headmaster and child’s parents were alerted.
Claire Corfield and an educational social worker had viewed messages on a phone which referred to him wanting a hug.
Matthew Nichols insisted in evidence that an “innocent” conversation with Pupil A had been “misconstrued’ and it wasn’t intentionally sexual.
He qualified as a teacher in 2010.
He denied that he singled out Pupil A for a hug on the last day of the summer term.
Mr Nichols said he saw the girl as a friend rather than a pupil. “She was friends on the Instagram profile,” he said.
Miss Dewi said the teacher had denied any text contact when confronted by the headmaster.
'I respond to a lot of messages with kisses..'
But there were 425 texts between him and the pupil in a week, Miss Dewi said.
He agreed it was inappropriate to call her smile “cute” in the messages.
Miss Dewi asked: “Do you agree this is an example of your flirtatious behaviour?” He replied :”It could be.”
He disputed that they were thinking their contact might develop into something more sexual in future years.
Quizzed about why he texted Pupil A in the early hours, the teacher said: “At the time I would be online playing computer games until late. I sent the message without looking at the time.”
Miss Dewi said Mr Nichols had told the girl he had “stripped down and jumped into bed.”
He said: “Only afterwards I realised it could again be misconstrued as something else.”
'Very naive'
He disputed bringing a sexual element into the conversation.
He told his barrister that prior to teaching in Britain he had taught students in America and developed a rapport with them. “Working in this environment is very different to that of a professional teacher. It was my mistake to confuse the two,” he said.
About a message with two kisses and referring to “big hugs,” Mr Nichols said: “I respond to a lot of messages with kisses to friends. I get used to doing it.”
There had been “banter” but he accepted he had been “very naive.”
He added that he had been “joking around” when he used the word "vagina" in a late night message to a teenage ex-pupil B.
The hearing continues today.
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/wrexham-maths-teacher-sent-sexually-12817286
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