A former teacher from East Lancashire has been indefinitely banned from teaching after being found guilty of telling a student he loved them and kissing them on the cheek during a camping trip.
Simon Mumford, who had 25 years of experience and was employed at Clitheroe Grammar School at the time of the allegations, faced a misconduct hearing earlier this month.
The ruling prohibits Mumford from teaching in any school, sixth-form college, youth accommodation, or children’s home in England. He can apply to have the ban lifted, but not before 2026, and even then, it’s not guaranteed.
During a virtual hearing led by Stephen Chappell, with members Peter Ward and Bernie Whittle, the panel concluded that Mumford’s actions constituted “unacceptable professional conduct” that could damage the reputation of the teaching profession.
He faced multiple allegations, including one he admitted: organising a personal camping trip with a student, referred to as Pupil A, and their older sibling to Priest’s Hole Cave in the Lake District.
Initially, he had suggested the student go camping with their family during the COVID-19 lockdown, but the conversation evolved to him proposing the trip himself.
Evidence from Pupil A indicated that Mumford expressed a desire to show them the cave and the experience of sleeping under the stars.
On June 18, 2021, they travelled to the cave, where they set up camp with the pupil’s sibling.
The panel determined that Mumford should never have arranged such a personal outing, which encouraged a relationship that crossed the boundaries of a professional teacher-student dynamic.
Another allegation involved conversations outside school hours with Pupil A, both in person and on Microsoft Teams, which often strayed from academic topics and included personal health matters.
While the panel recognised that teaching can involve communication beyond standard hours, it deemed it inappropriate to discuss certain topics outside the school environment.
Additionally, Mumford was found to have kissed Pupil A on the cheek on two occasions while leaning over and whispering “I love you” in their ear.
He claimed these gestures were meant to be fatherly, although he initially denied them. The panel concluded that regardless of intention, such behaviour was inappropriate.
Further allegations concerning Mumford touching Pupil A’s leg were substantiated, although he suggested it was meant as reassurance. While some claims of sexual conduct were dismissed, Pupil A described Mumford’s behaviour as paternal rather than romantic.
Mumford acknowledged making a “huge error of judgment,” stating he did not act with any sexual motivation and believed he was trying to support the student in a misguided way.
Institutional Abuse
If you have suffered abuse within a large organisation, such as a school or sports club, it may be referred to as ‘institutional abuse’.
Unfortunately abuse of this type can occur when people in power take advantage of vulnerable individuals such as children or people with special needs.
This can happen in the following types of settings:
- Schools
- Religious settings
- Sports teams
- After school clubs
- Scouts/Girl Guides
- Care homes
- Hospitals
You may be entitled to claim if you suffered physical, sexual or psychological abuse.
How do I make a claim?
This area of the law is highly specialised, and it is important to have a solicitor who has experience pursuing claims for compensation for historic sexual and physical abuse and assault.
Whilst these claims are personal injury claims, there are many aspects that differ from general personal injury claims. At abuseclaims.co.uk, our team of legal experts are trained in dealing with these types of cases and will be able to offer seasoned advice for a successful outcome.
You can contact us for a free no-obligation chat. We will advise you whether you are eligible to make a claim and the likely level of damages.
If you decide to pursue the claim we will do all the work for you, keeping you informed at every stage.
How long will my case take to run?
Generally a civil claim for abuse or assaults can be concluded within 6-12 months. We will provide you with regular updates as your claim progresses.
Once we have been able to assess your case, we will give you an idea at the outset of the likely timescale.
It will very much depend on what evidence we need to gather, who we are bringing the claim against and also whether the claim can be settled without court proceedings.
Will I have to go to face my abuser?
It is very unlikely that you will have to face your abuser, either in court or at any point in the claim. Most claims are brought against the institution or organisation rather than the individual abuser themselves.
The claim will be handled by the organisation’s insurers or solicitors. It is unusual for the person who abused you to have to give evidence in a civil case.
Why should I use abuseclaims.co.uk?
abuseclaims.co.uk is committed to handling your abuse claim on a ‘no-win, no-fee’ basis. If your claim is unsuccessful, you won’t owe us anything.
If your claim is successful, we will take a percentage of the compensation, meaning we only receive payment when we have achieved a positive outcome for you.
You will have a dedicated advisor who will manage your claim from start to finish, assisting with any questions or concerns along the way. If you prefer, we can assign a female advisor to handle your case.
Your case handler will also provide regular updates throughout the process, ensuring that your experience is as stress-free and smooth as possible.
Further reading
Institutional abuse – abuseclaims.co.uk
Abuse in schools and education – Oakwood Solicitors
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