Primary school teacher taped child's ankles to chair, hearing told

A teacher taped a child’s hands and ankles to his desk and chair to stop him fidgeting, a misconduct hearing has been told.

Primary school teacher Matthew Brown, 38, is also accused of sticky-taping one girl’s hand to a rugby ball, although he claims this was an accident.

Brown was working as a supply teacher at a primary school, covering maternity leave, when he used the tape, it is claimed.

The misconduct hearing was told it came to light after a father complained Brown had taped the bare ankles of his eight-year-old son – identified only as Pupil A – to a plastic chair because he would not sit still.

Case presenter Carys Williams said: “He admitted taping the ankles of a pupil to a chair, but denied it amounted to unacceptable professional misconduct.

“Further information then came to light, and he also admitted taping the pupil’s hands to a desk and taping another pupil’s hands to a ball.

“Brown had been working at the school on an on and off basis and was covering maternity leave at the time, teaching year three to four pupils aged between seven and eight years old of varying learning abilities.”

Gisella Williams, headteacher of the school, Ysgol Maelgwn in Llandudno, north Wales, said she was “extremely shocked” after she was approached by Pupil A’s father.

Williams said: “In July 2015 I met with the child’s father who said he was reluctant to go back to school. The pupil said Brown had taped his ankles to a chair.

“He had been fidgeting in his chair during a lesson and was told to stay still. Because he didn’t Brown taped his ankles to a chair.

“I wasn’t told the pupil was injured but he was wearing shorts on the day and it was uncomfortable for him. I was extremely shocked.”

She described Pupil A as a “bright child” who was not known as a troublemaker.

Williams approached Brown, whom she described as “well-liked” by teachers and pupils, and he admitted using the tape.

She said: “Brown appeared remorseful. He said thought he did it as a joke at the time but now realised he’d acted foolishly.”

Brown was told to speak to his teaching union before returning, but later informed the school and the council he wished to be deregistered as a teacher.

Williams said Pupil A’s father later reported an earlier incident where his son’s hands were taped to his desk, and another allegation was made regarding a girl’s hand being taped to a ball.

She said a full investigation was not carried out as Brown was not a contracted member of staff, although he had worked a total of 127 days at the school as a supply teacher between September 2014 and July 2015.

Brown did not appear at the education workforce council (EWC) misconduct hearing in Ewloe, Flintshire, and was not represented.

He told the EWC before the hearing the pupils “weren’t taped for long” and said there was no malice involved. He said the taping of a girl’s hand to a rugby ball was a “complete accident”.

The panel chair, Steve Powell, said Brown, of Llandudno, did not deny the three allegations – but did deny they amounted to unacceptable professional misconduct.

The hearing continues.