NewsScottish NewsDrink driving teacher allowed to stay in profession

Drink driving teacher allowed to stay in profession

An English teacher who stacked up four driving offences, including one for drink driving, has been allowed to carry on teaching.

The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) ruled that Ciaran Earle was guilty of misconduct but would not be struck off the register.

Mr Earle admitted to driving while over the legal limit in Edinburgh 2003 after drinking two pints before getting behind the wheel.

The GTCS ruled that Mr Earle was guilty of misconduct
The GTCS ruled that Mr Earle was guilty of misconduct

 

In 2009 he was convicted for another driving offence, this time for driving at 40 miles per hour in a 30 zone, again in Edinburgh.

While in 2013 he was found to have driven a van without a valid licence or insurance.

However, the teaching watchdog said Mr Earle’s drink drive conviction was more than 11 old and happened before he was a teacher.

It concluded: “The Panel did not consider that one drink driving conviction in 2003 and one speeding conviction in 2009 demonstrated a pattern of behaviour which showed a disregard for the criminal law.”

In regards to the charges for driving without a valid licence or insurance the panel accepted that was “a result of an administrative error on the part of the DVLA”.

It concluded: “The Panel determined that the Respondent’s fitness to teach is not impaired.”

The GTCS did not identify the school Mr Earle teaches in.

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