Union calls for anonymity as teacher cleared of attacking girl, 15

A TEACHING union has called for classroom staff accused by children to have anonymity until they are convicted after a Yorkshire teacher with 23 years of unblemished experience was cleared of assaulting a pupil.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Sep 2011, 07:00 BST

William Stuart, 47, was found not guilty of assaulting a 15-year-old girl at a North Yorkshire school by magistrates in Scarborough after a two-day trial. There were cheers and celebrations in court when the verdict was read out.

Speaking after the hearing, Anne Swift, from the National Union of Teachers (NUT), said: “It’s too easy for youngsters and their families to make false accusations. There should be consequences for those who make false allegations.”

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Scarborough and Whitby Tory MP Robert Goodwill welcomed the decision and questioned whether it should have gone to court. “I hope we will not see further cases like this where a teacher is put through hell,” he said.

Mr Stuart, of Stepney Road, Scarborough, was charged after an incident on March 21. The girl involved, who cannot be named, told the court the science teacher shoved her to the ground and against some coat pegs after she ignored his requests to stop walking away from him.

But the chairman of the bench, Paul Osborne, said the girl’s evidence was inconsistent and did not tally with that of two other pupils who gave evidence for the prosecution.

He added: “Mr Stuart’s evidence was credible and convincing. He has a 23-year unblemished teaching record across several schools.”