A COCAINE-DEALING teacher has been banned from the country’s classrooms for life.

The ban, imposed on Michael Younghusband, on behalf of Education Secretary Michael Gove, comes after the 31-year-old was jailed for three years and four months last September after he admitted possessing the Class A drug with intent to supply.

The offence cost Younghusband his job of nine years at Dene Community School, Peterlee, County Durham, where he had taught geography and maths.

A National College for Teaching and Leadership's (NCTL) professional conduct panel heard Younghusband had benefitted from dealing to the tune of £32,000.

He was caught by police after Keith Thomas Brumwell handed over a package to Younghusband in a car park near Penshaw Monument, Wearside, in August 2012.

Police recovered the package, containing three quarters of a kilogram of cocaine, from Younghusband's BMW car after stopping it minutes after.

The court heard that £7,000 in £1,000 bundles was also found in Younghusband's home in Kingswood, Penshaw.

A further 40.7g of cocaine was recovered from the Peterlee home of Brunwell, who was jailed for four years and four months after admitting two similar charges.

The panel's report said the judge, in sentencing, said Younghusband was addicted to cocaine and had exhibited genuine remorse and was determined to address his addiction.

However, expressing concerns about the public reaction were Younghusband ever to be allowed back in a classroom, the panel recommended a permanent teaching ban.

Giving the final decision on behalf of Mr Gove, NCTL official Paul Heathcote said Younghusband caused "immense damage to the collective reputation of the profession" and that a ban was an "appropriate and proportionate sanction".

Making it a lifelong ban, he said the majority of the disciplinary panel had recommended it should be a life-time one.

“They felt that it would be inappropriate for someone with a conviction such as this to be working with children.”

The decision means that Younghusband is prohibited from teaching indefinitely in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children's home in England.

He has a right of appeal to the High Court.