A TEACHER has been banned from teaching for life after forming an inappropriate sexual relationship with a pupil.

A professional conduct panel heard that Timothy Richardson, 34, began a relationship with a sixth form student at Malton School, North Yorkshire, in 2005 when she was 17.

The student made a complaint in 2014 because she thought the teacher's behaviour had been wrong and he should not be allowed to continue teaching.

The pupil, known as Student A, told investigators the relationship was kept a secret and she lied to her parents when she went to stay at his house in Scarborough.

She confirmed that when they went out together sometimes they were seen by other people or staff from school and on one occasion, she recalls Mr Richardson saying “oh crap, there’s someone from school” and told her to walk further away from him.

Student A became suspicious of Mr Richardson during their relationship as she never met any of his friends or family, the panel heard.

The pupil recalled that after she left the school in summer 2006, she attended various holidays with Mr Richardson, and the relationship carried on initially when Student A went to university in September 2006. However, it broke down at Christmas 2006.

The panel heard that Mr Richardson told officials that the relationship only started during a camping trip in July 2006, but the student said this was not correct.

She could not recall exactly how or when the relationship started.

However she remembered that when she undertook her first driving test in December 2005 she and Mr Richardson were already in a sexual relationship. This was during the early part of her second year of sixth form.

The panel heard concerns had already been raised about Mr Richardson's conduct in 2010 although his account that he had never had sexual relationships with a pupil was accepted.

The panel found that on the balance of probabilities, Mr Richardson had engaged in a sexual relationship with the pupil.

The panel also found that the teacher had faked documents that he claimed were from South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to explain several absences from work in 2013 and 2014.

The panel's report was reviewed by decision maker Alan Meyrick on behalf of the secretary of state.

He ruled that Mr Richardson should not be allowed to teach again.

He said: "This means that Mr Timothy Richardson is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or children’s home in England.

"Furthermore, in view of the seriousness of the allegations found proved against him, I have decided that Mr Richardson shall not be entitled to apply for restoration of his eligibility to teach."

North Yorkshire County Council said that as soon as the facts of the case were established, the school took immediate action to follow appropriate statutory safeguarding procedures.

As a result of the School’s determined action the case was referred to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) in October 2014.

“We give the highest priority to the safeguarding of our students” said Rob Williams, Malton School’s headteacher.

“As soon as we had evidence to call this teacher’s trustworthiness into question, the school, with the support of the county council, took immediate action to investigate every aspect of this case. We welcomed the fact this case was brought before the Professional Conduct Panel of the National College or Teaching and Leadership and totally support the decision to prohibit Mr Richardson from teaching.

“We expect the highest professional standards from our teachers and abhor such breaches of trust. This has been the right outcome that we have sought.”

Mr Richardson resigned from his job in 2014.