Teacher who sent sexual messages to 13-year-old banned from profession

A humanities teacher who was arrested after sending sexually explicit messages to a 13-year-old girl has been banned “indefinitely” from teaching.

Liam Walker, 31, who taught at Sir William Stanier School in Crewe, Cheshire, from 2023 to 2024, used Snapchat and another online chat room, where he used usernames such as “HungTeacherMeet” and “Fit Teacher”, to speak to the boy.

Allegedly, Walker, who corresponded with the child online for a week, “asked intrusive questions about his sexual history and made other sexually explicit statements” to the child. approved By the Teaching Regulation Agency panel.

According to evidence, the girl, identified in the documents as “Child A,” informed Walker that she was 13 years old “at the time of the first online interaction” on Aug. 7.

Despite this, Walker continued to correspond with him online until August 15.

The panel stated that “in many of the messages Mr. Walker sent to Child A, he asked intrusive questions about Child A’s sexual history and made other sexually explicit remarks.”

These included comments such as: “You never know what creeps out there are trying to get in your pants”, “are you a virgin?”, “You’re definitely going to get someone in trouble haha ​​I hope you’re not sending nudes”, “are you looking for sex?” and “I’m always a little worried about talking dirty to a teenager because it’s illegal haha”.

On September 4, 2024, Walker was arrested for sexual intercourse with a child and was relieved of duty five days later, effective immediately.

The board noted Walker’s behavior “took place during the summer holidays outside the educational setting” but said Walker “failed in his duty to care for the children by exposing Child A to the risk of being cared for” and failed to promote his safety and welfare.

The panel also said Walker “appeared to be testing the limits with Child A.” “This behavior was exacerbated by his use of the usernames ‘HungTeacherMeet’ and ‘FitTeacher’, both of which have sexual connotations,” they said.

They said his actions amounted to a “serious departure from the personal and professional conduct elements of the Teacher Standards” and also amounted to “sexual misconduct involving acts that were or were of a sexual nature and/or used or exploited the trust, knowledge or influence derived from the individual’s professional position.”

The panel said public interest considerations, the protracted nature of the communication with Child A and the intrusive and explicit nature of the conversation with him were a “significant factor” in recommending that a restraining order be imposed with immediate effect.

Considering the panel’s recommendations, Stuart Blomfield, acting on behalf of the Minister for Education, said: “The findings of misconduct are serious” and added: “The panel found that all the allegations were substantiated and that these substantiated facts amounted to unacceptable professional conduct and behavior that could bring the profession into disrepute.”

“I think a ban decision should be made to preserve public confidence in the profession.”