A SCOTS primary school teacher who hit a female with a belt and poured cleaning fluids over her believes he is still fit to teach.
Charles Tighe, who taught at Beckford Primary School in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, was convicted in 2019 of assaulting three separate females between 2007 and 2018.
On various occasions between January 2007 and December 2014, the 51-year-old assaulted one victim by pushing her against a wall, throwing her to the floor and emptying a linen basket over her.
He also struck her on the head as she held a child, threw her on a bed and emptied a bucket of cleaning materials and fluids over her.
The shamed Scots teacher was also found to have struck her with a belt and repeatedly slapped and shook her.
Between January 2014 and December 2014, Mr Tighe pursued another victim, repeatedly shook her and pinned her to the floor.
In July 2018 he repeatedly sent text messages to a woman which caused “fear and alarm” a year after assaulting her and forcibly removing a child from her arms.
Mr Tighe was convicted of the offences in February 2019 and sentenced to community service for 18 months and handed a non-harassment order for two years.
He now faces being removed from the teaching register by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) following an investigation over the incidents.
Mr Tighe today admitted all the allegations brought against him but said he believes his fitness to teach is not impaired.
Speaking today in front of the teaching panel, he said: “I have never been the subject of disciplinary proceedings, and I have never had concerns raised about my fitness to teach.
“I would love nothing more than to return to primary teaching.
“On 5 February 2019 I pleaded guilty to four charges.
“I do not seek to detract from my acceptance that my behaviour was wrong.
“I admitted to the allegations entirely and I admit that I fell far short of the standards expected of a teacher.
“I do not admit that my fitness to teach is currently impaired.
“I have reflected heavily on my own actions and I have taken steps to address my behaviour.”
He added: “As I was working [doing community service] it gave me a lot of time to think.
“Speaking with other offenders and my supervisor, it gave me a lot of time to reflect.
“It gave me a lot of time to think about what I should be doing; which was teaching.
“It gave me a real insight into the damage I did to [the people involved].
“It can’t be undone, it will be with them and me forever.”
Mr Tighe was suspended from his position at Beckford Primary School in 2017 after allegations came to light.
He was then sacked from the school in 2018 and is currently unemployed.
The hearing continues.
