Female teacher has sex with pupil in toilet on flight home from school trip

A drunken teacher who had sex with a student in the toilets of passenger plane while returning from a school trip has been banned indefinitely from the classroom.

Eleanor Wilson, a physics teacher at a school in Bristol, engaged in oral sex with the pupil in the toilet cubicle and then had sex with him, a disciplinary panel found.

The relationship came to light when another student heard about it and threatened to tell the school unless Miss Wilson, 28, engaged in sexual activity with him.

She was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute by a National College for Teaching and Leadership panel who found she had also tried to cover up the relationship.

The panel heard Miss Wilson had worked at the unnamed school since 2013 and was "highly regarded" as a teacher and had been praised by parents and pupils.

The trip took place in July 2015 and while on a flight returning to the UK the sexual activity took place with the student - known only as Pupil A.

"During the flight home from the trip, Pupil A gave evidence that he and Miss Wilson were flirting at the back of the plane, whilst looking after another pupil who was unwell," the panel said in its findings.

"Pupil A gave evidence that Miss Wilson was intoxicated and that he had himself drunk approximately five miniature bottles of wine on the flight.

"Pupil A gave evidence that he and Miss Wilson entered the toilet, kissed and had oral sex and intercourse without using protection.

"Miss Wilson denied this allegation in its entirety, as evidenced within the notes of the school's investigation."

The panel added: "The panel considered all of the evidence, and after hearing his oral evidence and having the opportunity to test it, preferred the evidence of Pupil A. The panel found Pupil A to be a credible, reliable witness."

Their relationship continued for several months and they communicated by text message and met outside school, with Pupil A thinking he loved her.

In September 2015 the school's head teacher learnt that Miss Wilson was in a relationship with a student. They spoke to her about it but with no corroborating evidence no further action was taken.

The following May the head teacher again spoke to Miss Wilson about the allegations she had met Pupil A outside school and had sexual intercourse with him, which she denied.

She also discussed the allegations with Pupil A and asked him to keep their relationship secret and to deny all knowledge of it if asked.

Miss Wilson did not attend the hearing and it proceeded without her.

In its conclusions, the panel found: "The panel is satisfied that the conduct of Miss Wilson fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession.

"The panel did not consider that Miss Wilson demonstrated insight into the consequences of her actions.

"Whilst she did express remorse as to the impact of her actions on Pupil A and his family, Miss Wilson demonstrated herself to be more concerned with the impact of her dismissal from the school on her own career and personal life."

Alan Meyrick, an official on behalf of Education Secretary Justine Greening, banned Miss Wilson indefinately from teaching.

He said: "These findings of misconduct are particularly serious as they include findings of both serious dishonesty and sexual misconduct.

"I consider therefore that a prohibition order with no review period is required to satisfy the maintenance of public confidence in the profession."